Once Upon A Slayer
by APhantasm
Summary: Buffy (6 years old), Faith (6 years old) and Dawn (an infant) were born to Regina and King Leopold in the Fairy Tale world. They were kidnapped by Rumpelstiltskin and sent into our world. There they were split up. Buffy going to the Summers family. Faith going to the Lehane family. And Dawn going to the Order of Dagon to become the vessel for the Key.
1. Chapter 1: Once Upon A Slayer

**Summary:** Buffy (6 years old), Faith (6 years old) and Dawn (an infant) were born to Regina and King Leopold in the Fairy Tale world. They were kidnapped by Rumpelstiltskin and sent into our world. There they were split up. Buffy going to the Summers family. Faith going to the Lehane family. And Dawn going to the Order of Dagon to become the vessel for the Key. They lived their separate lives and as they grew up they forgot about each other. Till one day long after they were reunited did they finally start to remember.

**Pairings: **No Pairings

**Disclaimer:** So I don't have to repeat myself in every chapter I will only say this once. I do not own Buffy or Once Upon A Time. Buffy is owned by Joss Whedon and Once Upon A Time is owned by Disney.

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 1: Once Upon a Slayer**

Girls are milling about, as Buffy, Dawn, Giles, Xander, Willow and Faith are standing near the crater that used to be Sunnydale.

"Looks like the Hellmouth is officially closed for business." Faith says.

"There is another one in Cleveland. Not to spoil the moment..." Giles replies.

Xander nods, "We saved the world."

Willow smiles, "We changed the world. I can feel them, Buffy. All over. There are Slayers awakening everywhere."

"We'll have to find them." Dawn says.

"We will." Willow says.

Giles nods, "Yes, because the mall was actually in Sunnydale, so no hope of going there tomorrow..."

"We destroyed the Mall? I fought on the wrong side..." Dawn says.

"All those stores gone... The Gap, Starbucks, Toys R Us... who will remember these landmarks unless we tell the world of them?" Xander says.

"We have a lot of work ahead of us..." Giles says.

"Can I push him in?" Faith asks.

Willow laughs, "You got my vote."

"I just wanna sleep, yo. For like a week." Faith says.

Dawn nods, "I guess we all could. If we wanted to."

"Yeah, the First is scrunched, so... What do you think we should do, Buffy?" Willow says.

"Yeah, you're not the one and only chosen anymore. Just gotta live like a person. How's that feel?" Faith says.

"Buffy? What are we gonna do now?" Dawn asks.

**_One Year Later _**

_Buffy runs up to her mother as she stands beside her sisters._

_The mother smiles as she looks between her step-daughter and her daughters, "Do you want to meet your baby sister?"_

_Buffy and the two girls nod._

_"Yes, we do." The oldest of the other two girls says._

_"Yes, mom." Buffy says._

_The mother looks to her step-daughter, "Snow would you like the honors of naming her?"_

_Snow smiles, "Dawn, I think you should name her Dawn."_

_The mother smiles and nods, "Dawn, it is then."_

Buffy suddenly wakes up and looks around the darkened room in her suite at the International Slayer's Council. She shakes her head and tries to think why she would have a dream about Dawn that she was sure was fake.

_In Cleveland _Faith is tossing and turning as she sleeps.

_A woman is walking down a hall of a castle. There are several mirrors on the wall._

_"What happened? Did you get your answer? What's going on? Your Majesty? Your Majesty!" Man in the Mirror says._

_The woman enters a room where an Elderly man is lighting candles._

_"Did Rumpelstiltskin tell you what you needed to know?" Elderly man says._

_Woman nods, "Yes."_

_"And?" Man asks._

_"I'm not sure I should say. I'm conflicted." Woman says._

_"How bad is it? Maybe I can help." Man says._

_"I have to cut out the heart of the thing I love most." Woman says._

_"Me?" Man asks._

_Woman nods, "Daddy, I don't know what to do."_

_Father sighs, "My dear, please. You don't have to do this."_

_"I have to do something." Woman says._

_"Then move past this. I know this may sound self-serving, but you don't need to enact the curse." Father says._

_"But I can't keep living like this. What Snow did to me, what she took from me? It's eating me alive, Daddy. Her very existence mocks me. She must be punished." Woman says._

_"But, if the price is a hole that will never be filled, why do it? Stop worrying about Snow White and start over. We can have a new life." Father says._

_"But what kind of life? All I've worked for, all I've built, would be gone. My own children are gone. My power will disappear. They already think I'm nothing." Woman says._

_"Power is seductive. But so is love. You can have that again." Father says._

_"I just want to be happy." Woman says._

_"You can be. Of this I'm sure. But I believe, given the chance, we can find happiness. Together, maybe even find my granddaughters – your daughters, together. But the choice is yours." Father says._

_"I think you're right. I can be happy. …Just not here." Woman says and she kills her father._

_"I'm sorry…" Woman says._

Faith suddenly sits up in bed wide awake. She looks around her room at the Watcher's Council's Cleveland facility searching the dark for answers to her dream.

_In England _at the International Slayer's Council Dawn is tossing and turning in her bed.

_Several men escort two children and an infant into a large room._

_Man smiles, "Ah you have brought me the Queen's children. Happy day this is."_

_"Our payment?" Another man asks._

_"It be waiting for you in the hall. Leave us." Man says._

_The men nod and go out into the hall closing the door behind them._

_"Now to make my plan work to plant the seeds of discontent between the Queen and Snow White. You three will be sent far away and Snow White will be blamed for your disappearance." Man says and with a little bit of magic the children vanish. "Oh what a happy day this is."_

Dawn sits up in bed and looks around her suite trying to figure out what the dream meant.

_The next morning after breakfast_ Buffy and Dawn make their way to Giles office.

"Buffy?" Dawn asks seeing the look in Buffy's eye that says something was up with her sister.

"I had a dream last night. Felt sort of like a Slayer dream. But it seemed to be of the past." Buffy says as Giles walks in.

"What dream?" Giles asks.

"There was two girls, me, and a woman holding a baby. I was six years old in the dream. The woman asked one of the other girls if she wanted to name the baby. The girl in question said she wanted to name the baby Dawn. I saw none of their faces in my dream other than the baby's. And the thing is Dawn the baby looked like you when mom brought you home."

"You mean of the memory the monks gave you of mom bringing me home." Dawn said.

"Yeah." Buffy said. "So it's weird. It seemed so real, kind of like a Slayer dream but not."

"Interesting," Giles says.

"You say two girls and a baby?" Dawn asks.

Buffy nods.

"Then I can up your weirdness. I dreamt of two little girls, one of them holding an infant. There was this man and he had them kidnapped. He was going to send them somewhere else and then blame it all on Snow White to that there be a rift between her and the Queen." Dawn said. "I saw no one's faces either. And I think I was looking out of the baby's eyes for the entirety of the dream."

"Interesting. Maybe we should have everyone research this and see if there is something to these dreams." Giles says.

Suddenly Giles secretary comes over the intercom. "Mr. Giles, Faith Lehane is on line one."

Giles moves to his desk and puts Faith on speakerphone, "Yes, Faith?"

"I think I may have had a Slayer dream last night, but I'm not sure." Faith says.

"Faith, Buffy and Dawn are here they were just relating to me dreams they had also. But tell me yours." Giles says.

"Hey B, little D. Well G-man…" Faith says.

"I wish you and Xander would quit calling me that." Giles says.

"Well… Anyways in my dream there was a man and a woman. The man was the father and the woman his daughter. I didn't catch any names or see their faces. But the woman killed her father. Something about getting revenge on Snow White for something she believed this Snow White had done." Faith said.

"Interesting." Giles said. "All three of you have had one thing in common in these dreams. You all mentioned a person named Snow White."

"Ok that's weird. Even little D had a dream?" Faith asked.

"Yes I did, Faith." Dawn said.

"So it's more than probably just a Slayer dream then cause last I checked little D, isn't a Slayer. Right?" Faith said.

"Correct, Faith." Giles said. "Dawn isn't a Slayer. Faith I think you should come here. Leave Kennedy in charge. And then catch the first plane here."

"Okay, G-man." Faith said and hung up.

_At that same time in Boston _Emma Swan is driving her car, Henry Mills is in the passenger seat.

"I'm hungry. Can we stop somewhere?" Henry says.

"This is not a road trip. We're not stopping for snacks." Emma says.

"Why not?" Henry asks.

"Quit complaining, kid. Remember – I could have put your butt on a bus. I still could." Emma says.

"You know I have a name? It's Henry." Henry says as he reads a book.

"What's that?" Emma asks.

"I'm not sure you're ready." Henry says.

"I'm not ready for some fairy tales?" Emma asks.

Henry shakes his head, "They're not fairy tales. They're true. Every story in this book actually happened."

"Of course they did." Emma says.

"Use your superpower. See if I'm lying." Henry says.

"Just because you believe something, doesn't make it true." Emma says.

"That's exactly what makes it true. You should know more than anyone." Henry says.

"Why's that?" Emma asks.

"Because you're in this book." Henry says.

"Oh, kid. You've got problems." Emma says.

"Yep. And you're going to fix them." Henry says. "You and your aunts."

Emma looks to Henry and shakes her head, "I have no aunts, kid."

"That's where you're wrong." Henry says.


	2. Chapter 2: More to Learn

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 2: More to Learn**

Emma and Henry finally arrive in Storybrooke.

"Okay, kid. How about an address?" Emma asks.

Henry shakes his head, "Forty-four Not Telling You street."

Emma stops the car in the middle of the road and gets out. Henry gets out, as well. "Look, it's been a long night and it's almost… 8:15?"

"That clock hasn't moved my whole life. Time's frozen here." Henry says.

"Excuse me?" Emma asks.

"The Evil Queen did it with her curse. She sent everyone from the Enchanted Forest here." Henry says.

"Okay, the Evil Queen sent a bunch of fairy tale characters here." Emma says, skeptical.

Henry nods, "Yeah, and now they're trapped."

"Frozen in time, stuck in Storybrooke, Maine. That's what you're going with?" Emma says.

Henry smiles, "It's true!"

"Then why doesn't everybody just leave?" Emma asks.

"They can't. If they try, bad things happen." Henry says.

Someone calls out to Henry. A man, Archie, with a dog approaches Emma and Henry. "Henry! What are you doing here? Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine, Archie." Henry says.

"Who's this?" Archie asks looking at Emma.

"Just someone trying to give him a ride home." Emma says.

"She's my mom, Archie." Henry says.

"Oh. I see." Archie says.

"You know where he lives?" Emma asks.

Archie nods, "Yeah, sure. Just, ah, right up on Mifflin street. The Mayor's house is the biggest one on the block."

Emma looks to Henry, "You're the Mayor's kid?"

"Uh, maybe." Henry says.

"Hey, where were you today, Henry? Because you missed your session." Archie says.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. I went on a field trip." Henry says.

Archie frowns, "Henry. What did I tell you about lying? Giving into one's dark side never accomplishes anything."

"Oookay. Well, I really should be getting him home." Emma says.

Archie nods, "Yeah, sure. Well, listen. Um. Have a good night and, uh, you be good, Henry."

"So that's your shrink." Emma says looking at Henry.

Henry shakes her head, "I'm not crazy."

"Didn't say that. Just, he doesn't seem 'cursed' to me. Maybe he's just trying to help you." Emma says.

"He's the one who needs help because he doesn't know." Henry says.

"That he's a fairy tale character?" Emma asks.

Henry nods, "None of them do. They don't remember who they are."

"Convenient. Alright, I'll play. Who's he supposed to be?" Emma asks.

"Jiminy Cricket." Henry says.

Emma sighs, "Right, the lying thing. Thought your nose grew a little bit."

"I'm not Pinocchio!" Henry says.

Emma nods, "Course you're not. Because that would be ridiculous."

At London International Airport, Faith Lehane disembarks off the plane to find Dawn waiting for her. "Hey, little D."

"Hey, Faith. The gang is researching our dreams so they sent me to pick you up and take you back to the ISC." Dawn said.

Faith nods, "Let's go and see about getting my luggage. So you did have a dream, too?"

"Yeah. And one common denominator between yours, Buffy and mine is this Snow person who maybe the fairy tale character Snow White. At least that's what the man in my dream called her and you said on the phone the woman in yours called her that also." Dawn said.

"That's right. I know Buffy faced a demon that used the Hansel and Gretel fairy tale. Do they think this is a repeat of that only this time with Snow White?" Faith said.

Dawn shrugged, "I don't know. It's a possibility of course."

Faith grabbed her luggage and they made their way out to Dawn's car. "So how have things been, little D?"

Dawn shrugs as she drives them out of the airport parking lot, "Alright I guess. We haven't had a new apocalypse lately that's good right?"

Faith smiles, "Yeah that's five by five."

30 minutes later they pull into the parking lot of the ISC and get out of the car. "Leave your luggage, here for now. We'll bring it upstairs after you see Giles." Dawn said as she led the Dark Slayer into the lobby of the ISC.

Faith and Dawn stopped at the front desk so Dawn could pick up any messages she might have missed and then they headed upstairs to the conference room where they found Willow, Xander, Giles and yes even Buffy deep in the books.

Giles looks up as Dawn and Faith enters and motions for them to have a seat, "Hello Faith, how was your flight?"

"It was was five by five." Faith said. "You guys got anything yet?"

Giles shook his head, "We so far have found no reference to demons using the Snow White fairy tale. Have you had anymore dreams?"

Faith shook her head, "No."

Buffy looked up from the book at Faith, "So, Faith. Did you see two little girls in your dream or was it just the woman and the man?"

"Just the woman and the man, her father she called him." Faith said. "Though she did mention her daughters being taken from her."

"So then we only have one connection Snow White between all three dreams. And the children between mine and Buffy's dream. Though we don't know for sure if they're the same children." Dawn said.

_In Storybrooke_ Emma and Henry arrive at a large, white house. They head through the gate and up the walkway.

"Please don't take me back there." Henry says.

"I have to. I'm sure your parents are worried sick about you." Emma says.

Henry shakes her head, "I don't have parents. Just a mom and she's evil."

"Evil? That's a bit extreme, isn't it?" Emma says.

"She is. She doesn't love me. She only pretends to." Henry says.

"Kid… I'm sure that's not true." Emma says.

Regina opens the door to the house and rushes towards Henry and Emma. "Henry! Henry… Are you okay? Where have you been? What happened?"

"I found my real mom." Henry says before running into the house.

"Y-you're Henry's birth mother?" Regina asks.

"Hi…" Emma says.

"I'll just go…check on the lad. Make sure he's alright." Graham says from the door.

"How would like a glass of the best apple cider you've ever tasted?" Regina asks.

"Got anything stronger?" Emma asks.

_At the ISC in London _Buffy tosses and turns as she dreams.

_"Elizabeth," her mother says. "How many times do I have to tell you to treat your sister better? You're a princess and princesses don't wrestle in the mud with their sisters."_

_"Mom!" Buffy says. "Faith started it. She called Snow evil. Snow isn't evil."_

_Mother sighs and shakes her head, "Of course she's not sweetheart."_

Buffy wakes and sits up in bed, "First Dawn and now Faith."

In Dawn's room she too is dreaming…

_"You know what? It's none of my business. He's your kid. And I really should be heading back." Emma says._

_Regina nods, "Of course." She lets Emma out. _

_Emma walks down the walkway to her car, she looks up to the second story window and sees Henry. He closes the curtain and turns off the light. Moments later Emma is driving along road out of Storybrooke. She looks over and sees Henry's book on the seat. "Sneaky bastard."_

_Emma looks back to the road, there's a wolf in front of her car. She swerves to avoid it and ends up hitting the Storybrooke entrance sign._

Dawn sits straight up in bed and looks around and then smiles, "Storybrooke, Maine."

In Faith's room she dreams.

_A woman is looking over the balcony of the castle. On the lower level, she sees a girl place a white rose on top of a coffin._

_"Goodbye, Father." The girl says._

_The woman makes her way down to the girl and touches her on the shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Snow."_

_"I loved him so much." Snow White says._

_The woman nods, "So did I, dear. So did I. The loss I feel for my husband must be nothing compared to the loss you feel for your father. The way it was when your half-sisters, my daughters disappeared. If there is anything I could do, please, let me know. I may only be your mother through marriage, but I'm here for you, dear. Truly and forever." _

_The girl hugs the woman._

Faith sits up in her bed, "So that's what Snow White looks like."


	3. Chapter 3: Storybrooke, Maine

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 3: Storybrooke, Maine**

Dawn, Faith, Buffy and Giles sat in Giles' office going over the dreams the three of them had the night before.

"Faith was mentioned this time." Buffy says. "I'm beginning to wonder if this is something that actually happened in our past. It would be a big coincidence for the sisters of the person I keep dreaming of to be named Faith and Dawn."

Giles nods, "It would be a coincidence. But it could be a case of your mind trying to fill in the blanks of what it's seeing. And it's using the names of people you know."

"Something tells me that's not the case. Somehow, Dawn and I are related to Faith." Buffy says.

"But Buffy, we all know I was created to hide the Key. How could I have been there before I came to you?" Dawn says.

Giles nods, "I have a theory on that actually. If what you all are dreaming is true then it's possible that you were separated at some point. Buffy and Faith you two went to your respective families. Dawn for some reason you went to the Order of Dagon. Then instead of creating you magically they simply bound the energy of the Key to your body. Then it would be simple enough to cast a memory spell, and modify everyone's memories to make them think you were always there."

"If that's true. It's another coincidence that my own baby sister was taken from me and then sent back to me years later." Buffy said.

Giles nods, "Your right it is a big coincidence. The monks sent Dawn to you because you were the Slayer, at least that's what they told you. Maybe they knew that Dawn was your sister in reality and so they simply gave her back to you."

"That's possible I guess." Buffy says. "That would also mean Faith you're my sister also. If I'm right my twin."

Faith nods, "I think your right, B. I too had a dream last night." Faith said. "In mine Snow White was with the woman from my first dream who I am coming to suspect is our birth mother. I wish I could see her face. I know what Snow looks like, well looked like anyways as she was in her early teens. It looked like they were in mourning though for a man. From the way they talked I assume he may have been our birth father."

"I too had a dream last night." Dawn said. "I know where to go now. Storybrooke, Maine. There may be a woman in trouble too; she was in an accident trying to avoid a wolf. And ran into the welcome sign for Storybrooke."

Giles nods and goes over to the shelves and pulls out an atlas. He opens it to Maine and then shakes his head, "Dawn there is no town in Maine called Storybrooke."

Dawn gets up and looks at the map of Maine. She points to a spot on the map where no town is shown to exist, "It's right there. I'm sure of it."

Giles nods, "Alright, we'll see about sending you three there and see what you find out."

_In Storybrooke _Regina slept.

_"Faith my darling, come here." Regina said. "Elizabeth told me what happened. Did you tell your sister that Snow was evil?"_

_Faith looks down and then nods, "Yes, mother."_

_Regina shakes her head, "That is no way for a princess to act, Faith. Especially when it's not true. Now I want you to go tell Elizabeth you're sorry. Then I need you to go watch your baby sister for a bit."_

_Faith nods, "Yes, mother." She turns and walks out of the room leaving Regina alone._

Regina sat up in bed and looked around the darkened room, "Oh my darling, Faith."

"Mom?" Henry said from the door.

Regina looked to her son and sighed, "I was just dreaming about your sisters."

Henry nodded. He knew Elizabeth, Faith and Dawn were Snow White's sisters which would make them his great aunts. But he also know since Regina had adopted him that they were also his half-sisters as well. Regina had told him only half the story of course that they had been kidnapped and later declared dead. She of course didn't tell him where they had been kidnapped from or by who. Henry of course knew from his book the whole story. But he never told Regina about it.

Henry walked over to his mother and sat next to her and hugged her, "It's okay, mom. Wherever they are their happy, I'm sure of it."

Regina nods, "Your right."

Henry looked up at his mother and thought to himself, 'And if my assumption is correct they will be coming soon.'

Buffy, Dawn and Faith disembarked from the plane in Bangor, Maine. They at Giles insistence before leaving had gotten blood tests to confirm what their dreams had been telling them. That they were indeed sisters.

As Faith and Dawn went to get their luggage Buffy went and got a rental car from the nearby rental desk. "Yes I have reserved a rental for an undetermined amount of time. It will be under the name of Summers. Buffy Summers of the ISC." Buffy said.

The rental agent looked at the ledger and nodded, "Of course Ms. Summers I have you right here. If you would fill out this paperwork we can get you situated right away."

Buffy nodded and started filling out the paperwork.

"If I may inquire. The car…" The rental agent said.

Buffy didn't look up as she finished with the paperwork, "Were here on business for the ISC. And we're not sure when it will be completed."

"Of course." The rental agent said as Dawn and Faith walked over to them with theirs and Buffy's luggage.

Buffy handed the paperwork to the rental agent and then they were shown to the car and given the keys.

They decided Buffy would drive till they stopped for lunch. At which point Faith would take over. And so Dawn stretched out in the back seat and rapidly fell asleep.

_"Uh? Can I help you?" Emma asked._

_Henry nodded, "Are you Emma Swan?"_

_"Yeah. Who are you?" Emma said._

_Henry smiled, "My name's Henry. I'm your son."_

_….The scene changed…._

_Henry is reading the fairy tale book as Emma drives them down the road._

_"What's that?" Emma asks._

_"I'm not sure you're ready." Henry says._

_"I'm not ready for some fairy tales?" Emma asks._

_Henry shakes his head, "They're not fairy tales. They're true. Every story in this book actually happened."_

_"Of course they did." Emma says._

_"Use your superpower. See if I'm lying." Henry says._

_"Just because you believe something, doesn't make it true." Emma says._

_"That's exactly what makes it true. You should know more than anyone." Henry says._

_"Why's that?" Emma asks._

_"Because you're in this book." Henry says._

_"Oh, kid. You've got problems." Emma says._

_"Yep. And you're going to fix them." Henry says. "You and your aunts."_

_Emma looks to Henry and shakes her head, "I have no aunts, kid."_

_"That's where you're wrong." Henry says._

_….The scene changed…._

_"So that's your shrink." Emma says looking at Henry._

_Henry shakes her head, "I'm not crazy."_

_"Didn't say that. Just, he doesn't seem 'cursed' to me. Maybe he's just trying to help you." Emma says._

_"He's the one who needs help because he doesn't know." Henry says._

_"That he's a fairy tale character?" Emma asks._

_Henry nods, "None of them do. They don't remember who they are."_

Dawn woke up as they pull into a restaurant for lunch. "Guys I had another dream."

After they had ordered Dawn started telling Faith and Buffy what she had seen, "Okay the woman I saw get in an accident in my last dream, her name is Emma Swan. There is this kid who's supposed to be her son, his name is Henry. From what I gather he may have been adopted by someone else. Henry has this book with fairy tales in it that he claims are true. Okay when Emma and Henry got to Storybrooke, from what I gather Henry ran away from home to find Emma. And Emma was returning him. Anyways Emma and Henry met one of the town's citizens. From what I heard he may have been a psychiatrist as there was mention of him being Henry's shrink. Anyways Henry said that everyone in the town was under a curse and that they didn't remember who they really were."

Buffy looked to Faith, "Hmm so we have a mysterious town. The three of us are supposed to be sisters, real sisters. Were supposed to have basically been adopted. You Dawnie, were split from us and taken by the Order of Dagon to hide the Key. We have a mystery woman who's supposed to be our mother. We have Snow White who's supposed to be our half-sister. We have another mystery woman who killed her father who may or may not be our mother or this new mystery woman. We have this new mystery woman whose name is Emma Swan, who reportedly was in an accident. We have a kid who claims to be her son. Who seems to know more about what's going on? And we have a curse on the entire town. Was there anything I missed?"

Dawn smiles, "Henry talked about this Emma having aunts. Emma said she didn't but Henry said she did. I'm beginning to think if we're somehow not this Emma's aunts."

"How old is this Emma?" Faith asked.

"At least as old or older than you two." Dawn said.

Faith nodded, "So we can't be her aunts then if she is older than us."

"I know." Dawn said. "It doesn't make sense."

After lunch they drove on to Storybrooke. They didn't even notice the welcome sign till they were past it. Buffy stopped the car and got out. She walked to the other side of the welcome sign and it disappeared as did the car. She then walked back towards the car as it and the sign reappeared. She opened the car door and got in. "The town is magically cloaked. That's why it's not on the map."

"Let me guess, B. The sign is not visible for people coming into town?" Faith asked.

Buffy nods, "Yeah it's invisible. So was the car once I stepped on the other side of the sign."

"Why would someone cloak a whole town?" Dawn asked.

"Don't know, but I guess we'll find out." Buffy says as she drives on into town. She stops at a bed and breakfast and they all get out and go inside.

"You're out all night, and now you're going out again." Granny says.

"I should have moved to Boston." Ruby says.

Granny sighs, "I'm sorry that my heart attack interfered with your plans to sleep your way down the eastern seaboard."

"Excuse us? We'd like a couple rooms." Buffy said.

"Really? Would you like a forest view or a square view? Normally, there's an upgrade fee for the square but, as friends do, I'll wave it." Granny says.

"Square is fine." Buffy says.

"Now, what's the name?" Granny asks.

"Summers and Lehane. Buffy and Dawn Summers, and Faith Lehane." Buffy says.

A man, Mr. Gold, has entered the inn, but no one has noticed until he speaks. "Buffy. What a lovely name. No doubt short for Elizabeth."

Buffy shakes her head, "If it is my parents didn't tell me."

Granny passes Mr. Gold a roll of bills. "It's all here."

Mr. Gold nods, "Yes, yes, of course it is, dear. Thank you. You enjoy your stay… Buffy… Dawn… Faith." He turns and exits the inn.

"Who's that?" Dawn asks.

"Mr. Gold. He owns this place." Ruby says.

"The inn?" Dawn asks.

Granny shakes her head, "No, the town. So, how long will you be with us?"

"We're not sure yet. Can we say a week for now and let you know as our plans change?" Buffy says.

Granny nods, "Of course." She takes two keys from the wall and hands them to Buffy. "We only have two rooms vacant at the moment. I hope you won't mind." Buffy shakes her head. "Welcome to Storybrooke."


	4. Chapter 4: The Thing You Love Most

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 4: The Thing You Love Most**

The next day, Dawn looks out the window in her room at the inn as Archie is walking his dog, Mr. Gold walks past, and Ruby is putting out the sign for Granny's Diner.

Regina knocks on the door of Emma's room. She has a basket of apples. "Did you know the Honeycrisp tree is the most vigorous and hearty of all apple trees? It can survive temperatures as low as forty below and keep growing. It can weather any storm. I have one that I've tended to since I was a little girl. And to this day, I have yet to taste anything more delicious than the fruit it offers." She hands Emma an apple.

"Thanks." Emma says.

"I'm sure you'll enjoy them on your drive home." Regina says.

Emma shakes her head, "Actually, I'm going to stay for a while."

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea. Henry has enough issues. He doesn't need you confusing him." Regina says.

The door to the room next door opens. Buffy is about to walk into the hall when she hears Regina and Emma talking. She closes it enough to listen but otherwise not be visible.

"All due respect, Madam Mayor, the fact that you have now threatened me twice in the last twelve hours makes me want to stay more." Emma says.

"Since when were apples a threat?" Regina asks.

"I can read between the lines. Sorry. I just want to make sure Henry's okay." Emma says.

Buffy's eyes go wide. That must be Emma.

Regina nods, "He's fine, dear. Any problems he has are being taken care of."

"And the woman who adopted Henry that Dawn mentioned from her dream," Buffy thinks to herself.

"What does that mean?" Emma asks.

"It means I have him in therapy. It's all under control. Take my advice, Miss Swan. Only one of us knows what's best for Henry." Regina says.

"Yeah, I'm starting to think you're right about that." Emma says.

"It's time for you to go." Regina says.

"Or what?" Emma asks.

"Don't underestimate me, Miss Swan. You have no idea what I'm capable of." Regina says as she starts for the stairs.

Buffy opens the door and stands there as Regina passes. "Hello, Madam Mayor."

Regina looks to Buffy and frowns, "Who are you?"

"My name is Buffy Summers." Buffy said as Faith and Dawn stepped out into the hall next to her. "This is my sister Dawn and our friend, Faith."

"Dawn? Faith?" Regina thinks to herself, it can't be. She looks to Buffy as she says out loud, "What did you say your name was?"

"Buffy," Buffy says. "Buffy Summers. Why do you ask?"

"Short memory," Regina lies. "Sometimes I have to have people repeat things so they stick. It's nice to meet you Buffy. Are you new in town?"

Buffy nods. "You could say that. We're from out of town visiting."

"This is getting weirder by the minute," Regina thinks. "First Ms. Swan and now these three." She looks to Buffy, Faith and Dawn as she speaks out loud, "I hope you enjoy your stay."

Regina looks at the three women for a moment. Was it possible they were her daughters, her long lost daughters? How did they get into this world from the Enchanted Forest if they were? She turns and walks down the stairs.

Later Regina is at home picking apples.

Sidney is holding a newspaper as he walks up behind her. Emma is on the front page. "The Mirror strikes again!"

"You're late." Regina says.

"Sorry. I wanted to bring you the latest edition. I assure you it's one of my better hatchet jobs." Sidney says.

Regina shakes her head, "That's not what I asked for. What'd you find out about her?"

"Well, the truth be told, there wasn't much. She spent a lot of time in foster homes. Sh-she got into some trouble when she was a kid, ah, but the details are locked up pretty tight. Since then, she's clean. Bounced around all over. The only thing I really learned was that she doesn't like to sit still." Sidney says.

"Well, that appears to have changed." Regina says.

"D-did you know that, um, she had Henry while she was in Phoenix? Huh, how'd he wind up here in Maine?" Sidney says.

"So, if I'm understanding you correctly, you found nothing of value. Which means you have no value, Sidney. Do you know what I do with things that hold no value to me? I throw them away." Sidney says.

"I-I'll keep looking." Sidney says.

"I have three more people for you to look up also." Regina says.

"S-sure." Sidney says.

"Their names are Buffy and Dawn Summers and Faith Lehane. Find what you can about them."

Emma is at Granny's Diner, she is reading the newspaper and eating the apple that Regina gave her.

Ruby serves her a cocoa. "Here you go."

"Thank you. But I did not order that." Emma says as Buffy, Dawn and Faith enter.

Ruby nods, "Yeah, I know. You have an admirer." She looks to Buffy, Dawn and Faith. "Hello Buffy… Dawn… Faith. Have a seat anywhere and I will get to you in a minute."

Henry who is sitting in a booth, looks at Buffy, Faith and Dawn and smiles. Everyone's here…

Emma sees Graham at another table. She walks over and puts the cocoa in front of him.

"Ah, so you decided to stay." Graham says.

Buffy, Dawn and Faith make their way over to a table next to Graham's.

"Observant. Important for a cop." Emma says.

"It's good news for our tourist business, it's bad for our local signage. It's… It's a joke. It's because you ran over our sign." Graham says.

Ruby walks over to Buffy, Faith and Dawn. "What can I get you?"

They place their order and Ruby leaves.

"Look, the cocoa was a nice gesture, and I am impressed that you guessed that I like cinnamon on my chocolate because most people don't, but I am not here to flirt. So thank you, but no thank you." Emma says.

Dawn looks at Emma and leans over and whispers to Faith and Buffy, "That's Emma from my dream."

Buffy and Faith take quick glances and then nods.

"I didn't send it." Graham says.

Henry stands up out of his booth, "I did. I like cinnamon, too."

Emma frowns, "Don't you have school?"

"Duh. I'm ten. Walk me." Henry says as he looks at Dawn and winks at her.

Dawn frowns as Ruby brings their food. "The kid winked at me. I think that was Henry."

Buffy nods, "You'll be the least conspicuous since you're eighteen. You're the easiest to pass for a high school student. Tail him."

Dawn nods, "Will do." She gets up and follows Emma and Henry out the door.

Dawn follow Emma and Henry at a discreet distance but close enough to hear the conversation as they are walking to the bus stop.

"So, what's the deal with you and your mom?" Emma asks.

"It's not about us, it's about her curse. We have to break it. Luckily, I have a plan. Step one – identification. I call it Operation Cobra." Henry says.

"Cobra? That has nothing to do with fairy tales." Emma says.

"Exactly. It's a code name to throw the Queen off the trail." Henry says.

"So, everyone here is a fairy tale character. They just don't know it." Emma says.

Henry nods, "That's the curse. Time's been frozen – until you got here."

Emma takes a bite of her apple.

"Hey! Where'd you get that?" Henry asks.

"Your mom." Emma says.

"Don't eat that!" Henry says and takes the apple from Emma and throws it over his shoulder.

Dawn picks up the apple and looks it over. As she tries to remember her fairy tales. Snow White ate an apple and fell into an enchanted sleep. She pockets the apple, planning to have a look at it later.

"Okay, uh… Alright. What about their pasts?" Emma says.

"They don't know. It's a haze to them. Ask anyone anything. And you'll see." Henry says.

"So, for decades, people have been walking around in a haze, not aging, with screwed up memories, stuck in a cursed town that kept them oblivious." Emma says.

Henry nods, "I knew you'd get it. That's why we need you and your aunts. You four are the only ones who can stop her curse."

"Because I'm the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming?" Emma asks. "And remember I said I didn't have aunts."

Henry nods, "Yes. And you do have aunts. They were the half-sisters of Snow White, before they got kidnapped and banished from the Enchanted Forest."

Dawn looks at Henry and frowns. Could he be talking about her, Buffy and Faith?

"And right now, we have the advantage. My mom doesn't know that. I took out the end. The part with you four in it. See? Your mom is Snow White." Henry says.

"Kid…" Emma says.

"I know the heroes never believe at first. If they did, it wouldn't be a very good story. If you need proof, take them. Read them. But whatever you do, don't let her see these pages. They're dangerous. If she finds out who you are, then it would be bad. I got to go. But I'll find you later and we can get started. I knew you'd believe me!" Henry says.

"I never said I did." Emma says.

"Why else would you be here?" Henry asks.

Henry runs into the school.

Mary Margaret sees Emma and approaches her. "It's good to see his smile back."

"I didn't do anything." Emma says.

Mary Margaret smiles, "You stayed. So, does the Mayor know you're still here?"

"Oh, she knows. What is her deal? She's not a great people person. How did she get elected?" Emma says.

"She's been mayor for as long as I can remember. No one's ever been brave enough to run against her. She inspires quite a bit of, well, fear. I'm afraid I only made that worse by giving Henry that book. Now he thinks she's the Evil Queen." Mary Margaret says.

Dawn's eyes go wide and she turns and runs back towards the bed and breakfast. She runs up the stairs and into hers and Buffy's room. "Buffy!"

Buffy and Faith look to Dawn. Buffy has the phone out and Giles can be heard speaking from it, "I had the results checked twice. You three are definitely sisters. And none of you are related to either the Summers or Lehane familes."

Dawn's jaw drops. So it was true Joyce wasn't her mother. It felt like a gut punch in her stomach.

Buffy saw Dawn's reaction to the news, "Hold on Giles." She handed the phone to Faith and then moved over to Dawn, "Dawn, mom was still our mom. She raised us, okay. Even if there is someone else out there in the world who gave birth to us. Mom will still be our mom, okay?"

Dawn nods and lets out a sigh, "Okay. You know what this means right? That our theory on the three of us being split up is true and that I was in reality not created by the monks to hide the Key that they instead stole me from you my family."

"Yeah," Buffy says. "I know. If there was any of them left alive believe me they would get an earful."

"Same from me little D," Faith said.

"Ahem." Giles said from the phone. "Have you all had anymore dreams?"

"I did." Dawn said. "In the drive up here from the airport." She went on to tell Giles what she had seen in the dream.

"Anything else?" Giles asks.

"Dawn? Did you find anything out from the kid?" Buffy asked.

Dawn nodded, "It's possible the Mayor is evil and she placed the curse on the town. I also have an apple here. Henry saw Emma was eating it and took it away from her throwing it away. I'm going to get my kit out of the car and see if there might be any poison or anything."

Buffy nods, "You think it could be like the Snow White fairy tale?"

Dawn nods, "That was my thinking. Oh and Henry knows that Snow White had half-sisters."

After Giles hung up. Buffy, Faith and Dawn sat in the room together looking at each other. Unsure how to really react to the news they were sisters, true sisters. Buffy had considered Faith a sister-slayer, tied together by their destiny. Dawn was her sister because at the time by magic. Now to find out they were true sisters hit the three of them hard. They wondered if that much was true if the rest of it was true as well.

That led to thoughts of the others from their dreams of Snow White and their mother who they still didn't know exactly what they looked like. They wondered about their mother who may or may not be the cause of the supposed curse if their assumption was correct and Henry's mom was their birth mother. They needed to find out more. So it was decided they would not mention to anyone let alone the Mayor whom they were till they knew the whole situation.


	5. Chapter 5: The Thing You Love Most Pt 2

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 5: The Thing You Love Most Pt. 2**

Dawn left to watch Henry's school, intending to tail him again. Buffy and Faith had also left in search of their own answers. But with the townspeople having no knowledge of the supernatural they could find out nothing. That left Henry and Emma. So Buffy and Faith decided they would watch Emma in shifts.

Across town Regina sits in her office at the Mayor's office when Sidney walks in. "I have some information on Faith Lehane, Buffy and Dawn Summers."

"Well?" Regina said, impatient.

"Faith Lehane has been in and out of foster homes most of her life. She grew up in Boston. Her mother was an alcoholic and drank herself into an early grave." Sidney said. "She was in and out of Juvenile detention till her last foster parent was killed. From what I can find Faith was right there when it happened and as a result she ran away. The next thing anyone knew she was in Sunnydale, California. Where she ended up in jail for murder. She escaped three years later and then just a few months ago she was pardoned by the President of the United States himself." Sidney said. "Faith now lives in Cleveland.

"And Buffy and Dawn Summers?"

"Dawn Summers was the legal ward of her sister, Buffy. She's since turned eighteen. Their mother died due complications from surgery. Their father Hank has been estranged from them and they were unable to locate him so guardianship fell to Buffy. Dawn had some trouble in school after her mother's death."

"Buffy Summers has more an interesting life than her sister. She burned down the high school gym of the school she attended in Los Angeles. She was committed for two weeks in a psychiatric hospital because she claimed that there had been vampires in the gym. She eventually recanted her story and was released. Two years later she was charged with murder but the charges were dropped when witnesses gave witness statements to the police saying it was someone named Drusilla who actually committed the murder. A year later her high school burned down just after the graduation ceremony. It was reported to be a gas leak that had ignited. A year ago the town they were living in, Sunnydale. Fell into an undiscovered sinkhole. All that is now left of the town is a crater. Buffy and Dawn then moved to London for work related reasons."

Regina nodded, "Anything else on Ms. Swan?"

Sidney shook his head, "I haven't found anything yet. But I am looking through it."

After Sidney had left Regina thought back to the women, "Maybe I was wrong in thinking it was them. It's probably just a coincidence." She then called Graham, "I need three young women arrested. They accosted me this morning. No I don't want to press charges. Just let them know that they should leave town or I will press charges."

At Granny's bed and breakfast Graham comes up the stairs, "Ms. Summers?"

Buffy looks up from where she stands in the doorway to her room. "Yes?"

"I'm afraid I am to place you under arrest. Is the rest of your group here?" Graham said.

"On what charge? And Faith is sleeping. Dawn isn't here. She's exploring the town." Buffy said.

"Would you wake her please. She's under arrest also." Graham says as he walks over to Emma's door and knocks. Buffy goes over to Faith's door and knocks.

Emma answers the door, "Hey there. If you're concerned about the 'do not disturb' signs, don't worry. I've left them alone."

"Actually, I'm here about Dr. Archibald Hopper. He mentioned you got into a bit of a row with him earlier?" Graham says.

"No…" Emma says.

"I was shocked too. And given your shy, delicate sensibilities… He says you demanded to see Henry's files and when he refused, you came back and stole them." Graham says.

"He gave them to me." Emma says.

Faith opens the door, "What's up, B?"

"Alas, he's telling a different tale. May I check your room? Or, must I get a search warrant?" Graham says.

Buffy points toward Graham, "We're under arrest. He hasn't told me the charges yet."

Emma lets Graham inside her room. Papers from Henry's files are strewn everywhere. "This what you're looking for?"

Buffy and Faith come over and stand in Emma's doorway.

"Well, you're very accommodating. I'm afraid, Miss Swan, you tpo are under arrest. Again." Graham says.

"You know I'm being set up, don't you?" Emma says.

"I'd almost bet if she's being setup so are we," Buffy whispers to Faith who nods.

"And whom, may I ask, is setting you up?" Graham asks.

Regina walks down the street to where Henry, Mary Margaret and his class are sitting. Dawn is watching from across the street.

"-water, synthesize." Mary Margaret says.

"Ahem. May I speak with my son?" Regina asks.

"We're in the middle of a lesson. Is it important?" Mary Margaret says.

Regina nods, "Do you think I'd be here if it wasn't?" She walks over to Henry. "Henry, sweetie, I have some bad news. The woman who you brought here – she's been arrested. She broke into Dr. Hopper's office and stole his files. She's a con woman. She's trying to learn about us in order to take advantage of us. That's why she's sticking around. I'm sorry."

"No, you're not." Henry says.

"I know you think otherwise, but all I'm doing is trying to protect you. This is going to be good for us. You'll see. Things will be better." Regina says.

The bell rings.

"I got to get back to class." Henry says.

Regina watches as Henry, Mary Margaret and the class go back inside. She then spots Dawn and frowns as she walks across the street. "Your still here?"

"What are you talking about?" Dawn asks.

"I thought when Graham arrested you three he made it clear you're not welcome in town." Regina said.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Dawn said. "I haven't been arrested."

Regina frowns.

At the jail, Graham is taking Emma's mugshot. Buffy and Faith are both sitting in a cell.

"You know the shrink is lying, right?" Emma asks.

"To the right, please. Why would he lie?" Graham says.

"The Mayor put him up to this. She's got to have something on him. He's terrified of her like everyone else in this…town." Emma says.

"To the left. Regina may be a touch intimidating, but I don't think she'd go as far as a frame job." Graham says.

"Are you sure of that," Buffy says. "I'm fairly sure that's what she did with us. We never accosted her."

Graham looks to Buffy, "She says differently."

"How far would she go? What does she have her hands in?" Emma says.

"Well, she's the Mayor. She has her hands in everything." Graham says.

"Including the police force?" Buffy asks.

Henry runs in followed by Mary Margaret and finally Dawn. "Hey!"

"Buffy?" Dawn asks. "Faith?"

Buffy smiles, "I'm okay, Dawn."

"Five by five. Though I never expected to see the inside of a jail cell again." Faith says.

"Henry! Henry, what are you doing here?" Graham says.

"His mother told him what happened." Mary Margaret.

Dawn nods, "She did and then she came across the street wondering why I was still in town when we were supposed to be told by him to leave."

"Of course she did. Henry, I don't know what she said-" Emma says.

"You're a genius." Henry says. He looks at Dawn and winks.

"What?" Emma asks.

"I know what you were up to. You were gathering intel for Operation Cobra." Henry says.

Dawn rolls her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'm a bit lost." Sheriff says.

"It's need to know, Sheriff. And all you need to know is that Miss Blanchard's going to bail her out." Henry says.

Dawn nods, "And I am here to bail out Buffy and Faith."

"You are? Why?" Emma says.

"I, uh, trust you." Mary Margaret says.

"Well, if you can uncuff me, I have something to do." Emma says.

"As do I," Faith says.

Regina is sitting in her office. Outside, she hears a noise. Regina looks out and sees Emma and Faith cutting down her apple tree with a couple chainsaws. She goes outside to confront them.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Regina asks.

"Picking apples." Faith says.

"You two are out of your minds." Regina says.

Emma shakes her head, "No, you are if you think a shoddy frame job's enough to scare me off."

"Or me, Buffy and Dawn." Faith said.

"You're going to have to do better than that. You come after me one more time, I'm coming back for the rest of this tree. Because, sister, you have no idea what I am capable of." Emma says.

"That goes double for me. You stay away from me, B and little D." Faith says.

Faith and Emma start to walk away.

"Your move." Emma says.

Faith and Emma return to the inn and goes to enter their rooms. Granny is right behind them.

"Miss Swan. Miss Lehane. Oh my, this is terribly awkward. Uh, I need to ask you both to leave. I'm afraid we have a 'no felons' rule. It… It turns out it's a city ordinance." Granny says.

"Let me guess – the Mayor's office just called to remind you." Emma says.

Granny nods, "You can gather your things, but I need to have your room keys back."

Faith and Emma hands over the keys.

Faith goes into Buffy and Dawn's room to find them packing, "I gather she told you two the same thing."

Buffy nods, "Yes. Dawn called a real estate agent and the only place available is a mansion next door to the Mayor's. So we called Giles and the Watcher's Council has bought it. We'll be moving in there."

An hour later Regina watches as Buffy drives her car up the driveway of the mansion next door and frowns. "How did they afford the place?"

That evening there is a knock on the door and Dawn goes to open it and finds Henry there. "Hello, Aunt Dawn." Henry says.

Regina is cleaning up the damage to her apple tree as Mr. Gold enters her yard.

"What a mess." Mr. Gold says.

Regina shakes her head, "Not for long. What could I do for you, Mr. Gold?"

"I was just in the neighborhood. Thought I'd pop by. Lovely to see you in such high spirits." Mr. Gold says.

"Well, it's been a good day. I just rid the town of an unwanted nuisance." Regina says. "And tomorrow I will have the rest of them gone."

"Emma Swan. Really?" Mr. Gold says.

Regina nods, "Yes. I imagine Ms. Swan's half way to Boston by now."

"Oh, I wouldn't bet on that. I just seen Ms. Swan strolling down the main street with your boy. Thick as thieves, they looked." Mr. Gold says. "And seeing how Miss Summers bought the only vacant house in Storybrooke I have my doubts she, her sister or Miss Lehane will be either."

"What?" Regina asks.

"Perhaps you should have come to me. If Miss Swan, Miss Summers, her sister or Miss Lehane is a problem you can't fix, I'm only too happy to help. For a price, of course." Mr. Gold says.

"I'm not in the business of making deals with you anymore." Regina says.

"To which deal are you referring?" Mr. Gold says.

Regina glares at Mr. Gold, "You know what deal."

Mr. Gold nods, "Oh, right. Yeah. The boy I procured for you. Henry. Did I ever tell you what a lovely name that was? However did you pick it?"

"Did you want her to come to town? You wanted all this to happen, didn't you? Your finding Henry wasn't an accident, was it?" Regina says. "What about the other three? Their names are so similar to the children I lost. Did you give them some kind of motivation to get them here."

"Whatever do you mean?" Mr. Gold says.

"Where did you get Henry? Do you know something? Where did you find those three women? Do you know something about that?" Regina says.

"I have no idea what you're implying." Mr. Gold says.

"I think you do. Who are these women?" Regina says.

"I would say you think you know exactly who they are. I really must be going." Mr. Gold says and starts walking away from Regina.

Regina runs ahead and stands in front of him. "Tell me what you know about them."

"I'm not going to answer you, dear. So I suggest you excuse me. Please." Mr. Gold says and leaves Regina's yard.

Regina stands where she was, seemingly shocked.


	6. Chapter 6: Snow Falls

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 6: Snow Falls**

_Faith strains at the handcuffs - and it snaps, the two girls rolling away from each other. Faith grabs a makeshift weapon, and Buffy draws Faith's knife._

_"That's mine." Faith says._

_"You're about to get it back." Buffy says._

_They fight and end up by the ledge, Faith's hand on Buffy wrist, holding the knife at bay, Faith's other hand on Buffy's throat. Buffy is perilously close to the edge. She looks down and sees an alleyway, a three story drop._

_The two girls are close again, straining. Faith again with the upper hand. She edges Buffy closer to the edge, "Man, I'm gonna miss this..."_

_Buffy whips her hand free and buries the knife in Faith's stomach. To the hilt._

_Faith goes wide-eyed, a tiny stream of blood burbling from her mouth. Buffy wrenches the blade free and Faith clutches her stomach. She sags... _

_And then uppercuts Buffy halfway across the roof. Buffy lands hard on her back._

_"You did it..." Faith says. There is both confusion and pride in her voice as she looks at her prone counterpart. "You killed me."_

_Buffy struggles to get up, but she is painfully winded._

_Faith looks down and sees a stakebed truck coming down the alley. Faith looks back to Buffy. "Still won't help your boy, though."_

_Buffy realizes what Faith is about to do. Faith's smile has a kind of numbness spreading over it._

_"You shoulda been there, Buff. Quite a ride." Faith says and she falls backwards off the roof._

Regina wakes with a start, "She is my darling Faith. And her own sister stabbed her. But why?"

Next door Henry is telling Buffy, Faith and Dawn about the curse. "The Evil Queen cursed everyone from the Enchanted Forest and sent them here."

"And they remember nothing?" Buffy asks.

"Nothing, its part of the curse." Henry says.

"And where do we come in?" Dawn asks.

Henry smiles, "You three are Snow White's sisters. Well actually half-sisters, you three and Snow White have the same father but different mothers."

"You called me Aunt Dawn." Dawn said.

Henry nods, "Well actually you would be my great aunt since Snow White is my grandmother."

"So the Mayor is Snow White's daughter?" Faith asks.

"No. Emma is Snow White's daughter, your niece." Henry said.

"And who's our mom?" Dawn asked.

Henry shakes his head, "You're not ready to know that. I mean no disrespect of course Aunt Dawn. But if you knew who your mom is it might color your opinions on breaking the curse."

After Henry left; Buffy, Faith and Dawn sat talking over what they had learned.

"Either the kid is delusional or what he says is true." Faith says.

Dawn nods, "We know he has been seeing a psychiatrist. So we should for now take what he says with a grain of salt."

Buffy nods, "Agreed. We still need to learn more. Dawn I want you to see if you can get a job at the school being his teacher's assistant. Faith and I will have a look around town some more."

Out on the street somewhere in town Mary Margaret is talking to Emma who slept in her car, "Well, guess if true love was easy, we'd all have it. You know, if things get cramped, I do have a spare room."

"Thanks. I'm not really the roommate type. It's just not my thing. I do better on my own." Emma says.

"Well, good luck with Henry." Mary Margaret said.

Emma nods, "Yeah…"

As Mary Margaret walks away from Emma's car. Dawn walks up to Mary Margaret.

"Hi." Dawn says.

"Hi." Mary Margaret says. "What can I do for you? Sorry I don't remember your name."

Dawn smiles, "It's Dawn Summers. I was just wondering if it would be possible to possibly do some volunteer work in your class."

Mary Margaret nods, "I think so. How about you come to school with me and and we'll set it up."

Later at the hospital, the kids from Mary Margaret's class are running around. Dawn is with them having got approval from school administration to volunteer in Mary Margaret's class.

Mary Margaret notices Henry in the room with John Doe. He's about to touch his face when Mary Margaret walks in. "Henry. We could really use your help with the decorations."

"Is Mr. Doe going to be okay, Miss Blanchard?" Henry asks.

"His name's not John Doe, honey. That's just what they call people when they don't know who they are." Mary Margaret says as Dawn walks into the room.

"Do you know who he is?" Henry asks.

Mary Margaret shakes her head, "Nope. Just bring him flowers on my rounds."

"What's wrong with him?" Henry asks.

"I don't know. He's been like this as long as I've been volunteering." Mary Margaret says.

"How sad," Dawn says.

"Does he have any family or friends?" Henry asks.

Mary Margaret shrugs, "No one's claimed him."

"So, he's all alone." Henry says.

Mary Margaret looks to Dawn and she nods in agreement with what Dawn had said, "Yeah… It's quite sad."

"You sure you don't know him?" Henry asks.

"Course I'm sure. Come on. You shouldn't be in here." Mary Margaret says.

Henry looks to Dawn who pulls him aside. "You know him?" Dawn asks.

"I think he's Prince Charming, Snow White's husband." Henry said.

"Why were you asking if Mary Margaret knew him?" Dawn asks.

Henry smiles, "Because I believe she is your sister, Aunt Dawn. She is Snow White."

Dawn looks to Mary Margaret for a long time after that. Was Henry correct; was Mary Margaret in reality her half-sister, Snow White?

That afternoon Emma and Henry are at Henry's 'castle'.

"I found your father – Prince Charming." Henry said.

"Henry…" Emma said.

Henry smiles, "He's in the hospital, in a coma. See the scar? He has one, too."

Emma shrugs, "So? Lots of people have scars."

"In the same place? Don't you see what this means? The curse is keeping them apart with the coma. Now they're stuck without each other. We have to tell Miss Blanchard we found her Prince Charming." Henry says.

"Okay, kid. Telling someone their soulmate is in a coma is probably not helpful. Not having a happy ending is painful enough, but giving someone unrealistic hope is far worse." Emma said.

Henry nods, "But what if I'm right? We know who they are. Now they have to know."

"And how do you intend to make that happen?" Emma asks.

Henry smiles, "By reminding him. We have to get her to read their story to John Doe. Then, maybe, he'll remember who he is."

"Okay." Emma says.

"Okay?" Henry says.

Emma nods, "Yeah, we'll do it. But we'll do it my way. Let me ask her."

"Can we make a stop first?" Henry says. "I want to introduce you to someone."

30 minutes later Emma pulls up outside the Summers/Lehane mansion.

"Who lives here?" Emma asks.

Henry smiles, "Your aunts." He gets out of the car and runs up to the door and knocks.

Buffy opens the door, "Hello Henry." Emma walks up next to Henry. "Emma, it's a pleasure to see you again."

"Hi, Aunt Elizabeth." Henry said.

Buffy sighs, "We've been over this Henry. Till we see proof I'm not Snow White's sister Elizabeth. And neither is Faith or Dawn."

Emma looks to Henry confused, "I thought you said everyone in town was under the curse."

Buffy looks to Emma, "Like yourself Emma; myself, my sister and Faith are from outside of town. We're not from Storybrooke. So we're not under the curse. If there is one that is."

"Is Aunt Dawn home?" Henry asked.

Buffy nods, "Yes." She turns and yells back inside, "Dawnie! Henry is here and he wants to see you."

Dawn comes to the door, "Hello Henry. Emma."

"Emma's going to talk to Ms. Blanchard." Henry said.

Emma sighs, "About her being Snow White and the John Doe being Prince Charming."

Dawn nods, "You'll let me know what you find out."

"How about we all meet at the diner tomorrow," Henry said.

Emma and Dawn looked at each other and then let out a sigh and nodded in agreement.


	7. Chapter 7: Snow Falls Pt 2

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 7: Snow Falls Pt. 2**

Dawn, Henry and Emma are sitting in Granny's diner.

Emma has just changed her shirt. "Thanks for the shirt. Hey, is this your mother's?"

Henry nods, "She'll never notice."

"Where does she think you are, anyway?" Emma asks.

"Playing Whac-A-Mole." Henry said.

"And she bought that?" Dawn asks.

"She wants to believe it, so she does." Henry says.

"Oh, imagine that." Emma says.

Dawn shakes her head, "If I had tried that with Buffy or mom, I would have been grounded like you wouldn't believe."

Mary Margaret enters the diner.

"She's here." Henry says.

"Hey, don't get your hopes up. We're just getting started, okay?" Emma says.

"Emma's right, Henry." Dawn said.

"He woke up." Mary Margaret says as she sits next to Dawn.

"What?" Emma and Dawn say.

"I knew it." Henry says.

"I mean, he didn't 'wake up' wake up, but he grabbed my hand." Mary Margaret says.

Henry smiles, "He's remembering!"

"What did the doctor say?" Dawn asks.

"That I imagined it, but I'm not crazy. I know it happened." Mary Margaret says.

"We have to go back. You have to read to him again." Henry says.

Mary Margaret nods, "Let's go."

"Wait, wait what?" Emma says.

"If I got through to him, if we made a connection." Mary Margaret says.

Emma shakes her head, "You don't believe…"

"That he's Prince Charming? Of course not. Somehow, some way, I touched him." Mary Margaret says.

Dawn looks to Henry and nods. If there was an actual curse like Henry believed. She knew it wouldn't be as easy as waking a coma patient to break it.

Dawn, Emma, Henry, and Mary Margaret arrive 30 minutes later at the hospital.

"You're right – he's waking up." Henry says.

"Henry, you should stay back." Graham says.

"What's going on? Is it John Doe? Is he okay?" Mary Margaret says.

Graham shakes his head, "He's missing."

The Dawn, Emma, Henry and Mary Margaret notice that Regina is in John Doe's room. Regina sees them, and approaches them.

"What the hell are you two doing here? And you – I thought you were at the arcade. Now you're lying to me?" Regina says.

"What happened to John Doe? Did someone take him?" Dawn asks.

Graham shakes his head, "We don't know yet. His IVs were ripped out but there's no sign for sure there's a struggle."

"What did you do?" Henry asks.

"You think I had something to do with this?" Regina asks.

"It is curious that the Mayor is here." Emma says.

"I'm here because I'm his emergency contact." Regina says.

"You know him?" Mary Margaret asks.

Regina shakes her head, "I found him. On the side of the road years ago with no ID. I brought him here."

"Mayor Mills saved his life." Dr. Whale said.

"Will he be okay?" Dawn asks.

Dr. Whale shrugs, "Okay? The man's been on feeding tubes for years on constant supervision. He needs to get back here right away or, quite honestly, 'okay' might be a pipe dream."

"Well then, let's quit yapping and start looking." Emma says.

"That's what we're doing? Just stay out of this, dear. And since I clearly can't keep you away from my son, I guess I'm just going to have to keep my son away from you. Enjoy my shirt, because that's all you're getting. Sheriff, find John Doe. You heard Dr. Whale. Time is precious." Regina said. She glares briefly at Dawn before she turns and leaves with Henry.

"Doctor, how long between your rounds since you last saw him?" Graham asks.

"Twelve hours or so." Dr. Whale says.

Graham nods, "Then that's what we need to account for."

Everyone heads to the security room. Walter and Leroy are both there.

"You two were the only employees on the floor last night. And you saw nothing." Graham says.

Walter shakes his head, "Not a thing."

"Did anyone walk by?" Emma asks.

"I didn't see nothin'." Leroy says.

"Miss Blanchard, was there anything unusual you saw during your trip with your class?" Graham asks.

"I don't think so." Mary Margaret says. "Dawn?"

Dawn shakes her head, "I don't remember anything. Hey we're looking at the wrong tape. This is the ward where Henry's class put up decorations. If this was really the tape from last night, we'd see the banners the kids hung."

"Tch, you fell asleep again." Leroy says.

"You selling me out?" Walter asks.

Leroy shakes his head, "I ain't getting fired for this."

Walter frowns, "At least I don't drink on the job."

"Gentlemen, enough. Where's the real tape?" Graham says.

The tape is switched. They see John Doe get up and walk out the door.

"He walked out alone. He's okay." Mary Margaret says.

"Four hours ago. Where does this door lead?" Emma says.

"The woods." Leroy says.

As they left the hospital Dawn called Buffy and Faith and told them to meet her in the woods.

Later Buffy, Faith, Dawn, Emma, Graham and Mary Margaret are in the woods searching for John Doe.

"What is it?" Emma asks.

"The trail runs out here." Graham says.

"You sure? Because I thought tracking was one of your skills." Emma says.

Buffy kneels down where the trail stops.

"Just give me a second. This is my world. I got it." Graham says before looking at Buffy. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to pick up the trail." Buffy says.

"What does he mean, 'His world'? Isn't finding people your thing, too?" Mary Margaret asks.

Emma nods, "Sure. Just, people I find usually run places like Vegas. Not a lot hit the woods."

"That's an interesting job – finding people. How'd you fall into it?" Dawn says.

"Looking for people is just what I've done. As long as I can remember." Emma says.

"What made you start? Your parents? Henry told me that your… Th-that you were from a similar situation to his own. Did you ever find them?" Mary Margaret says.

"Depends who you ask." Emma says.

They hear a crack behind them as Faith and Buffy turn and put themselves between the group and the unknown individual. Everyone looks and sees Henry run down a hill.

"Henry!" Dawn says as she puts a hand on Buffy's shoulder to let her know it's okay.

"Did you find him yet?" Henry asks.

Emma shakes her head, "No, not yet. You shouldn't be here."

"I can help. I know where he's going." Henry says.

"And where's that?" Mary Margaret says.

Henry smiles, "He's looking for you. You're the one who woke him up. You're the last one he saw. He wants to find you!"

"Henry, it's not about me. I just… I think he's lost and confused. He's been in a coma a long time." Mary Margaret says.

Henry smiles, "But he loves you! You need to stop chasing him, and let him find you."

"Kid. You need to go home." Faith says.

Buffy returns to trying to find John Doe's trail.

"Where's your mom?" Emma asks. "She's going to kill me and then you…and then me again."

"She dropped me at the house. Then, went right out." Henry says.

"Well, we need to get you back immediately." Emma says.

Henry shakes his head, "No!"

Buffy smiles as she spots John Doe's bloody hospital bracelet, "Sheriff!"

Graham goes to Buffy and nods, "Guys!"

"Is that…" Mary Margaret says.

"Blood." Emma says.

"Looks like." Buffy says. "Oh I wish Spike or even Angel were here now."

Dawn nods, "They could track the blood."

They follow the trail that Buffy found through the woods and come upon a Toll Bridge.

"Where is he? Can you see him?" Mary Margaret says.

"The trail dies at the water line." Buffy says.

They spot John Doe lying in the water.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!" Mary Margaret says.

"I need an ambulance! At the old Toll Bridge, as soon as possible." Graham says into his radio.

Buffy and Faith drag John Doe to the shore.

"No, no, no, no, no! No, no, no! I found you!" Mary Margaret says.

"It's going to be okay." Emma says.

Dawn nods, "Emma's right, Mary Margaret."

"Help's coming." Graham says.

"Is he okay?" Henry asks.

Emma shakes her head, "Henry…"

"Is he going to be okay?" Henry asks.

"Henry, don't look. Okay? Don't look." Emma says.

"Come back to us. Come back to me." Mary Margaret says as she starts CPR. When she puts her mouth on his, he starts breathing again and coughs up water.

"You saved me." John Doe says.

"She did it. She did it! She woke him up." Henry said.

"Yeah, kid. She did." Faith says. "Dawnie if that's all you need?"

Dawn nods, "You two head on back. I'll catch up after awhile."

John Doe smiles at Mary Margaret, "Thank you."

"Who are you?" Mary Margaret asks.

John Doe shakes his head, "I don't know."

"It's okay. You're going to be okay." Mary Margaret says.

The take John Doe back to the hospital.

"Watch your back. Coming through!" Nurse says.

"We got it from here." Dr. Whale says.

Dawn, Mary Margaret, Emma, Henry and Graham watch through the glass as John Doe is being treated by doctors.

Kathryn, his wife, bursts into the room where John Doe is being treated and rushes to his side. "David! David, is that you?"

"Excuse me, ma'am?" Dr. Whale says.

"Oh my god…" Kathryn says.

"Ma'am, you can't be in here. Please, you can't be here right now." Dr. Whale says.

"David…" Kathryn says.

"You can't be here, ma'am. Can you wait over here for a second, okay?" Dr. Whale says.

"Who is that?" Mary Margaret asks.

Regina walks up behind them. "His wife. His name is David Nolan. And that's his wife, Kathryn. And the joy on her face, well, it's put me in quite the forgiving mood." She looks to Henry. "We'll talk about your insubordination later. Do you know what insubordination means? It means you're grounded."

Kathryn exits David's room. "Thank you. Thank you for finding my David."

"Um, I-I don't understand. You didn't… You didn't know that he was here in a coma?" Mary Margaret says.

"A few years ago, David and I were not getting along. It was my fault, I know that now. I was difficult and unsupportive. I told him if he didn't like things, he could leave. And he did. And I didn't stop him. It was the worst mistake I ever made." Kathryn says.

"You didn't go look for him?" Dawn asks.

Kathryn shakes her head, "I assumed he'd left town all this time. And now I know why I never heard from him. Now I get to do what I've wanted to do forever – say I'm sorry. Now we get a second chance."

"That's wonderful." Mary Margaret says.

Dr. Whale enters. "Well, it's something of a miracle."

"He's okay?" Katheryn asks.

Dr. Whale nods, "Ah, physically, he's on the mend, um, his memory is another issue. It may take time, if at all."

"What brought him back?" Mary Margaret asks.

Dr. Whale shrugs, "That's the thing. There's no explanation. Something just clicked in him."

"He just got up and decided to go for a stroll?" Emma asks.

"He woke up and he was delirious and his first instinct was to go find something, I guess." Dr. Whale says.

"Someone." Henry says.

"Can I see him?" Kathryn asks.

Dr. Whale nods, "Yeah, of course."

Kathryn goes back into David's room.

"Henry, let's go." Regina says.

"Wait, my backpack." Henry says and goes back to grab his backpack and whispers to Mary Margaret. "Don't believe them. You're the one he was looking for."

"Henry…" Mary Margaret says.

"He was going to the Troll Bridge. It's like the end of the story." Henry says.

Mary Margaret shakes her head, "Henry, he was going there because it's the last thing I read to him."

"No, it's because you belong together." Henry says.

"Henry." Regina says as she glares at Dawn. 'What is going on with you all? Why did your older sister stab her twin?' Regina thinks to herself before she and Henry leave.

Emma turns and follows. Dawn stands with Mary Margaret as they watch David and Kathryn hug in his room. Mary Margaret looks down to her hand and fiddles with her ring – the same ring that Prince Charming was going to give to his fiancée.

"Do you think there is any truth to what Henry is saying?" Dawn asks.

Mary Margaret shrugs, "I don't know. It would be nice to think so, wouldn't it? That David there is in reality Prince Charming and I'm his wife. But that's not the way the world works."

That night Buffy sleeps and dreams.

_Prince Charming rides on a horse along a long stretch of land towards a forest, with a ring glowing the closer he gets to Snow White. In the forest, he meets several dwarves gathered around a glass coffin._

_"You're too late." Doc says._

_Snow White lies inside a coffin._

_Prince Charming shakes his head, "No. No! At least let me say goodbye."_

_The dwarves remove the lid of the coffin. Prince Charming kisses Snow White, which causes the spell she was under to be broken. A pulse of magic spreads throughout the land. She wakes up and gasps._

_Snow White smiles, "You found me."_

_"Did you ever doubt I would?" Prince Charming says._

_The two of them go for a walk along the shore._

_"How did you do it?" Snow White asks._

_Prince Charming smiles, "With this. It's my mother's ring. It… Led me back to you. And now… I never want it off your finger." He gets down on one knee to propose._

_"Will you marry me?" Prince Charming asks as he places the ring on her finger._

_"What do you think?" Snow White asks._

_They kiss. _

Buffy wakes, smiling, "Snow, I remember you."


	8. Chapter 8: The Price of Gold

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 8: The Price of Gold**

Buffy walks into the kitchen and sits opposite Dawn and Faith. "I had a dream last night, of Snow White. It was a good dream too. You know the story of how Prince Charming finds Snow White in the coffin and then kisses her and she wakes up?" Faith and Dawn nods. "That was what I dreamt. After I woke up I noticed I had new memories of one person, and only one person. I remember Snow."

Dawn sighs and shakes her head, "Buffy. Think for a second. How can you be sure these memories are real? Remember when the monks sent me to you. They created memories for all of us to make us believe I had been living with you the whole time. It's possible this is a result of whatever spell is giving us these dreams."

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't think so, Dawnie. I'm sure their real. And I'm fairly certain Henry is right there is a curse on this town."

Faith shakes her head, "B, I think little D is right. You guys told me that the memories of little D prior to when she was sent to you felt real too."

Buffy sighs, "I can't explain it guys. These memories feel real to me. More real than the ones that the monks implanted when they sent Dawn to me. For instance Faith, I remember you and I having a fight because you called Snow, evil. I also remember Snow getting to name you, Dawn. That's right Snow chose your name."

Dawn and Faith look at each other and Dawn sighs in resignation.

Later Dawn, Emma and Henry are walking down the main street.

"You sure we can be out in the open?" Henry asks Emma.

Emma nods, "Enough sneaking around. If your mom has a problem with me walking you to a school bus, I am more than happy to have that chat."

"You're brave. We'll need that for Operation Cobra. Speaking of – do you think we need code names?" Henry asks.

"Isn't 'cobra' the code name?" Dawn asks.

Henry shakes his head, "That's the mission. I mean us. I need something to call you two."

"Oh. Um, well, why don't you just call me Emma for now?" Emma says.

"If you really want to do this code name stuff. How about for me The Key." Dawn says as Emma looks at her as if to ask why that? "It's a long story."

"Okay. Well then, I'll see you later, Emma." Henry says as Emma turns and walks away.

"You didn't seem surprised about my choice, Henry." Dawn says.

"Because your story like Emma's is in the book. There are pages that I tore out and kept hidden. So my mom doesn't find out. " Henry says. "So I know what the monks did to you."

"So you know about The Key then?" Dawn asks.

Henry nods, "Yes. But you're still Dawn okay. You weren't magically created like the monks told Aunt Elizabeth. The monks stole you from your sisters and then bound the energy of the Key inside you."

At Granny's Diner Emma is having a cup of cocoa when Regina enters and sits with Emma.

"How was your walk with Henry? That's right – I know everything. But relax. I don't mind." Regina says.

"You don't?" Emma asks, skeptical.

Regina shakes her head, "No. Because you no longer worry me, Miss Swan. You see, I did a little digging into who you are. And what I found out was quite soothing. It all comes down to the number seven."

"Seven?" Emma asks.

"It's the number of addresses you've had in the last decade. Your longest in anywhere was two years. Really, what did you enjoy so much about Tallahassee?" Regina says.

Buffy enters the diner.

"If you were wondering, I did find a place here in town." Emma says.

"I know. With Miss Blanchard. How long is your lease? Oh, wait. You don't have one. You see my point? In order for something to grow, Miss Swan, it needs roots. And you? Don't have any. People don't change. They only fool themselves into believing they can." Regina says.

"You don't know me." Emma says.

Buffy spots Emma and Regina and makes her way over towards them.

"No, I think I do. All I ask, is as you carry on your transient life, you think of Henry and what's best for him. Perhaps consider a clean break. It's going to happen anyway. Enjoy your cocoa." Regina says as she gets up. She passes Buffy and glares at her. 'Why did you stab your own sister, Elizabeth?' Regina thinks as she walks out the door of the diner.

Buffy walks up to Emma as she goes to stand up and spills her cocoa over her shirt.

Ruby walks over and hands her a cloth.

"Oh! Really?" Emma says. "Do you have a laundry room I can use?"

Ruby nods, "Mmhmm!"

"Emma?" Buffy says. "I can talk to you?"

Emma looks to Buffy, "Sure." They follow Ruby to the laundry room.

"I have reason to believe Henry's story is true. Mary Margaret may in fact be Snow." Buffy says after Ruby leaves them alone at the door to the laundry room.

"Why do you think that?" Emma asks.

"Dawn, Faith and I have been having dreams since before we came here. Dreams coming from something supernatural." Buffy says.

"Sure, right." Emma says.

"Believe it or not it's true. Anyways I had a dream last night. The dream unlocked memories of one person, Snow." Buffy says. "I believe Snow is my half-sister. And that the curse that she and everyone else in this town is under is real."

Emma shakes her head as they enter the laundry room. She takes her shirt off and throws it in the washer. There's a young girl, Ashley, in the room, as well. She is holding pink sheets.

"Oh, no, no, no, no!" Ashley says.

"You okay?" Buffy asks.

Ashley shakes her head, "The sheets. They're uh… They're pink."

"You try bleach?" Emma asks.

Ashley puts down the sheets and it becomes obvious that she's pregnant.

"Oh." Emma and Buffy says.

"Last night, I felt contractions and the doctor said that the baby could come any day now." Ashley says.

"Well, that's great." Emma says.

"It's just that, um, when the… When the baby comes, no one thinks that I can do this. No one thinks I can do anything. Maybe they're right." Ashley says.

Emma shakes her head, "Screw 'em."

"What?" Ashley asks.

"Screw them. How old are you?" Emma says.

"Nineteen." Ashley says.

Emma nods, "I was eighteen."

"When… When you had a kid?" Ashley asks.

"You had Henry when you were eighteen?" Buffy asks.

Emma looks to Buffy and nods before turning her attention back to Ashley, "Yeah. I know what it's like. Everyone loves to tell you what you can and can't do, especially with a kid. But ultimately, whatever you're considering doing or giving up, the choice is yours."

Buffy nods, "Emma is right. I've never had a kid myself but I raised my sister after our mom died. I had people telling me I couldn't raise a teenager. I did it anyways. My point is, in the end the choice is yours."

"It's not exactly what you might think it is." Ashley says.

Emma nods, "It never is. People are going to tell you who you are your whole life. You just got to punch back and say, 'no, this is who I am.' You want people to look at you differently? Make them. If you want to change things, you're going to have to go out there and change them yourself, because there are no fairy godmothers in this world."

The next day there is a knock on the door and Buffy goes to open it. "Hello?"

"Hello Miss Summers. My name Mr. Gold." Mr. Gold said. "I have a proposition for you, Miss Summers. I, uh… I need your help. I'm looking for someone."

"Really? Um…" Buffy says. "That's not really my line of work."

Mr. Gold smiles, "Normally probably not. But you did such a good job locating David the other day."

Buffy sighs, "Okay."

"Good, I have a photo. Her name is Ashley Boyd. And she's taken something quite valuable of mine." Mr. Gold says.

"So, why don't you just go to the police?" Buffy asks.

"Because, uh… She's a confused young woman. She's pregnant. Alone and scared. I don't want to ruin this young girl's life. But I just want my property returned." Mr. Gold says.

"What is it?" Buffy asks.

"Well, one of the advantages of you not being the police is discretion. Let's just say it's a precious object and leave it at that." Mr. Gold says.

Buffy sighs and shakes her head, "When'd you see her last?"

"Last night. That's how I got this." Mr. Gold says as he shows Buffy the cut on the side of his head. "It's so unlike her. She was quite wound up. Rambling on and on about changing her life. I have no idea what got into her. Miss Swan, please help me find her. My only other choice is the police, and I don't think anyone wants to see that baby born in jail now, do they?"

"No, of course not." Buffy says.

Mr. Gold smiles, "So, you'll help me, then?"

"I will help her." Buffy says.

"Grand." Mr. Gold says. "Good luck, Miss Summers." He turns and leaves.

Buffy grabs her purse and quickly scribbles a note for Dawn and Faith and heads out the door, locking it behind her. She drives over to the Diner where she finds Emma and Henry talking to Ruby. Ruby's car is being dropped off by a tow truck.

"So, this boyfriend of hers. You don't think he was involved in her disappearance?" Emma says as Buffy walks up to her, Henry and Ruby.

"Uh, that would mean he was involved with her at all, which he isn't. He left her in the lurch, right after they found out they were expecting. Hasn't spoken to her since. Like I said-" Ruby says as her car is dropped abruptly and the wolf charm hanging on her mirror almost breaks. "Hey! Hey! Hey! Billy, be careful! You almost shattered my wolf thing, Billy. It's good luck."

"I'm sorry, Ruby. But look – it's fine." Billy says.

"Um, Ruby. What about her family?" Emma asks.

"Oh, um, she's got a stepmom and two stepsisters that she doesn't talk to." Ruby says.

"Wait. Stepmom, stepsisters, and she's a maid?" Henry asks.

"Henry. Not now." Emma says.

Buffy leans in and whispers to Henry, "Let me guess, Cinderella?"

Henry nods.

"Look. I don't know what you've heard, but it's wrong. Everyone thinks she's not ready to have this kid, but she's trying. Taking night classes, trying to better herself… Trying to get her life together. Can you understand that?" Ruby says.

"I think so." Emma says.

"Then maybe you should just stay out of it. She's been through enough already." Ruby says.

"I've been through it too, Ruby, and I can help her." Emma says.

Ruby nods, "Then, try her ex."

"Where can I find him?" Emma asks.

"He lives with his dad." Ruby says.

Emma gets the address for Ashley's ex-boyfriend. And then she turns towards her car with Henry and Buffy following.

"Let me guess someone asked you to look for Ashley?" Buffy asks.

"Mr. Gold came to you, too?" Emma asks.

Buffy nods, "Yes he did. Maybe we can help her together? What do you say Emma?"

"Sure, why not." Emma says.


	9. Chapter 9: The Price of Gold Pt 2

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 9: The Price of Gold Pt. 2**

Emma knocks on Sean's door as Buffy stands beside her. At the same time, Sean's father is pulling up the driveway.

"Can I help you?" Sean asks as he opens the door.

"Sean Herman?" Emma asks.

Sean nods, "Yeah. Who are you two?"

Emma smiles, "I'm Emma Swan. And this is Buffy Summers."

"We're looking for Ashley Boyd. She's in trouble. Just thought maybe she came to see you." Buffy says.

Sean's father walks up the steps. "My son doesn't have anything to do with that girl anymore. So, whatever trouble she's in, I am sorry for her, but there's nothing we can do to help you."

"You're the reason he broke up with her." Emma says.

"Absolutely. I'm not going to let my son throw away his entire life over a mistake." Sean's father says.

"So you just told him to leave her?" Buffy asks, appalled.

Sean's father nods, "Well, what are they going to do? Raise the child in the backseat of a car?"

"Some people only have the backseat of a car." Emma says.

"Well, they're to be pitied. I'm not letting that happen to my son." Sean's father said.

"Dad, maybe we should help them look." Sean said.

Sean's Father shakes his head, "It's a waste, Sean."

"Sean, if you want to come, come. Stop letting other people make decisions for you. If Ashley runs away with this baby, she's going to be in some serious trouble." Emma says.

"She's running away with the baby?" Sean asks.

Buffy sighs and nods, "Yes."

"Sean. Inside. Now." Sean's father says as Sean goes into the house. "Look. Believe me, if I knew where she was, I would tell you. I went to a lot of trouble to get her that deal."

"Deal?" Buffy asks.

"What are you talking about?" Emma says.

Sean's father shakes his head, "You two don't know? Ashley agreed to give up the child. And she's being paid very well to do so."

"She sold the baby?" Emma asks.

"Oh, you make it sound so crass. I found someone who's going to find that child a good and proper home." Sean's father says.

"And who are you to judge whether Ashley is capable of providing that?" Emma asks.

"Look at her. She's a teenager. She's never shown any evidence of being responsible. How could she possibly know how to be a mother?" Sean's father says.

"Maybe she's changing her life." Buffy says.

Sean's Father sighs, "Everybody says that. Now, look. I found someone who's going to pay Ashley extremely well. Someone who's going to see to it that everybody's happy."

"Mr. Gold." Buffy and Emma says.

"Well, isn't that why you two were hired? To bring him the baby?" Sean's father says.

Moments later Buffy and Emma are back in Emma' car.

"You two can't make her double cross Gold. No one's ever broken a deal with him." Henry says.

"I'm happy to be the first. If Ashley wants to have this baby, she should have it. Anyone who wants to be a mother, should damn well be allowed to be one." Emma says.

They arrive at Granny's Diner. They enter and Buffy and Emma approach Ruby.

"Why didn't you tell me she sold the baby?" Emma asks.

"Because I didn't think it was important." Ruby says.

"Really? Considering that's why she's running away." Buffy says.

Ruby sighs, "Look, Ashley's my friend. I don't like the idea of people judging her."

Emma notices Ruby's wolf charm on the counter. "Ruby, where's your car? You didn't send us to Sean to find her. You sent us there to give her a head start."

"Look, I'm only trying to help her." Ruby says.

Buffy nods, "Yes, so are we."

"Ashley's in more trouble than you know, Ruby. Where is she? Don't make her deal with Gold without us." Emma says.

Ruby sighs, "I can't talk in front of him. He's the Mayor's kid."

"Hey! I'm on your side." Henry says.

"Henry, we need to find this woman. And in order to do that, Buffy and I need you to go home, okay? So please listen to me. Seriously. She's not going to tell me anything if you're around." Emma says.

Henry nods, "Okay."

Emma smiles, "Thank you."

Henry looks to Buffy, "Bye Elizabeth." He leaves the diner.

"She left town. Said she was going to try Boston. Thought she could disappear there." Ruby says.

"How long ago did she leave?" Buffy asks.

"About a half an hour." Ruby says.

Emma and Buffy are driving trying to catch up to Ashley.

Henry, who was hiding, reveals himself. "What'd she tell you two?"

"Henry! What the hell? We're going to Boston. You can't come with us." Emma says.

"You two can't go to Boston! She can't leave. Bad things happen to anyone who does." Henry says.

"We don't have time to argue with you over the curse. I've got to get you home." Emma says.

"We have to stop her before she gets hurt! We're wasting time! If you drop me off, we'll never catch up to her." Henry says.

"Henry." Emma says.

"And then Mr. Gold will call the police, and he'll have her sent to jail." Henry says. "Aunt Elizabeth, please. I know you believe now, I saw it in your eyes."

Buffy sighs and nods, "He's right Emma. If we take him back. Mr. Gold will call police."

Emma sighs, "…Buckle up. Ashley, what did you get yourself into?"

A short time later Henry sees something ahead of them and points. "I told you! It's her car."

They pull over and rush to Ruby's car, which has been driven into a ditch.

"Ashley!" Buffy and Emma says.

Ashley is not in the car. They hear a moan and find Ashley sitting in the grass. "My baby! It's coming!"

"Go open the door for me." Buffy says. "Henry why don't you ride up front while I ride in back with Ashley." She picks up Ashley and they head back to the car. Henry and Emma get in front as Buffy loads Ashley in back and then gets in with her.

"Is the baby really coming?" Henry asks as they drive back towards town.

"Ohh yeah. Don't worry – the hospital isn't that far." Emma says.

"No! No, no, no. Take me to Boston. I can't go back there." Ashley says.

"Oh no, we don't have four hours. Trust me – I know." Emma says.

"I can't go back there. Please. He's going to take my baby." Ashley says.

Buffy brushes hair out of Ashley's face comfortingly, "Emma and I won't let that happen. Do you know what you're asking for? If you keep this child, are you really ready?"

Ashley nods, "Yeah."

"Are you sure? Because I wasn't." Emma says.

"You weren't?" Ashley asks.

Emma shakes her head, "Nope. If you want to give this kid its best chance, it's going to be with someone who's ready, so know what that means. Your whole life is going to change and once you decide that it's yours, this 'running away' can't happen. You have to grow up and you can't ever leave. Understand?"

Ashley nods, "Yes. I want my baby."

30 minutes later Buffy, Emma and Henry are sitting in the waiting room of the hospital.

"You know, Emma. Aunt Elizabeth You two are different." Henry says.

"What's that?" Emma asks.

"You two and Aunt Dawn and Aunt Faith are the only one who could do it." Henry says.

"Break the curse? Yes, I know. You keep telling me that." Emma says.

Henry shakes his head, "No. Leave. You four are the only ones who can leave Storybrooke."

"You left and came and found me in Boston." Emma says.

Henry nods, "But I came back. I'm ten – I had no choice. But if anyone else tried to go, bad things would happen."

"Anyone, except me, Emma, Faith and Dawn?" Buffy asked.

Henry nods, "You're the saviors. You four can do whatever you want. You four can go."

A doctor approaches them. "Miss Swan, Miss Summers. Baby is a healthy six pound girl and the mother is doing fine."

Mr. Gold has just entered the hospital. "What lovely news. Excellent work, Miss Swan, Miss Summers. Thank you both for bringing me my merchandise.

Moments later Mr. Gold is getting a cup of coffee at the coffee machine. Emma walks up next to him. "Well, well. Must be my lucky day. Care for a cup, Miss Swan? Miss Summers?"

"A baby? That's your merchandise? Why didn't you tell me? Us?" Emma asks.

Mr. Gold smiles, "Well because, at the time, neither of you needed to know."

"Really? Or you thought we wouldn't take the job?" Buffy asked.

Mr. Gold shakes his head, "On the contrary, I thought it would be more effective if you both found out yourselves. After seeing Ashley's hard life, I thought it would make sense. Do you, Emma? I mean, if anyone could understand the reasons behind giving up a baby, I assumed it would be you."

"You're not getting that kid." Emma says.

"I'm in complete agreement," Buffy says.

Mr. Gold shakes his head, "Actually, we have an agreement. My agreements are always honored. If not, I'm going to have to involve the police and that baby is going to end up in the system. And that would be a pity. You didn't enjoy your time in the system, did you, Emma?"

"It's not going to happen." Emma says as Buffy nods in agreement.

Mr. Gold smiles, "I like your confidence. Charming. But all I have to do is press charges. She did, after all, break into my shop."

"Let me guess – to steal a contract?" Buffy asks.

Mr. Gold shrugs, "Who knows what she was after?"

"You know no jury in the world will put a woman in jail, whose only reason for breaking and entering was to keep her child. I'm willing to roll the dice that contract doesn't stand up. Are you? Not to mention what might come out about you in the process. Somehow, I suspect, there is more to you than a simple pawn broker. You really want to start that fight?" Emma says.

"I like you, Miss Swan. You as well Miss Summers. You two are not afraid of me, and that's either cocky or presumptuous. Either way, I'd rather have you both on my side."

"So, she can keep the baby?" Emma asks.

Mr. Gold shakes his head, "Not just yet. There's still the matter of my agreement with Miss Boyd."

"Tear it up." Buffy says.

"That's not what I do. You see, contracts – deals – well, they're the very foundation of all civilized existence. So, I put it to you both now. If you two want Ashley to have that baby, are you both willing to make a deal with me?" Mr. Gold says.

Emma looks to Buffy who nods, "What do you want?"

"Oh, I don't know just yet. You'll both owe me a favor." Mr. Gold says.

"Deal." Buffy and Emma says.

Buffy, Emma and Henry enter Ashley's room. Ashley's holding the baby.

"Hey. What's her name?" Emma asks.

"Alexandra." Ashley says.

"It's pretty." Buffy says.

Ashley smiles, "Thank you for getting me here."

Emma nods, "Mr. Gold was outside. Buffy and I took care of it – she's yours."

"She is? What did you two do?" Ashley asks.

"We made a deal with him." Buffy says.

Ashley smiles, "Thank you. Thank you."

"Oh, hey, kid. It's almost five. We got to get you home." Emma says to Henry. She looks to Buffy, "We'll drop him off first and then go get your car."

Buffy nods, "Sounds good."

Buffy, Emma and Henry both run out of the room.

Several minutes later Buffy, Emma and Henry are in Emma's car.

"Pumpkin. My code name. I was thinking in honor of Cinderella. Pumpkin." Emma says as Henry shakes his head. "You got a better one in mind?"

Henry nods, "Yep."

"Well?" Emma asks.

Henry smiles, "I'm not sure you're ready yet. Maybe Aunt Elizabeth can tell you about hers."

Emma pulls up to Henry's house. Henry gets out, but Emma calls after him. "Henry! About what you said at the hospital. About me being able to leave?"

Henry nods, "Yeah?"

"See you tomorrow." Emma says and drives away. "What was he saying about you telling me yours?"

Buffy smiles, "The world is far older than you know…"


	10. Chapter 10: That Still Small Voice

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 10: That Still Small Voice **

Regina stands looking at a painting of herself with her daughters. "Where have you three been for the last eighteen years?"

"Mom?" Henry said.

Regina turned to Henry. "Yes?"

"Is everything okay?" Henry asked.

Regina nods, "Everything is fine, just thinking about your sisters. I wish you could have gotten to know them."

"I know they're out there somewhere." Henry said. "And they will come home someday."

Regina sighs and nods, "I'd like to think so, Henry. But it's been a long time since they went missing. I doubt after this much time they even remember me."

'Not yet.' Henry thinks. 'But they will I'm sure of it. The question is will they want anything to do with you when they learn you're the one that cast the curse.'

Later the entire town is gathered around what appears to be the entrance to a tunnel.

Regina then arrives by car. "Everyone! Step back, please!"

"Is that a crater?" Ruby asks.

Marco shakes his head, "No, there were tunnels – old mines. Something collapsed."

"Sheriff, set up a police perimeter. Marco, why don't you help with the fire department? Miss Swan, this is now official town business. You're free to go." Regina says.

"Well, actually, I work for the town now." Emma says.

"She's my new deputy." Graham says.

"They say the Mayor's always last to know." Regina says.

Graham smiles, "It's in my budget."

Regina nods, "Indeed. Deputy, why don't you make yourself useful and help with crowd control?" She steps away and stands in front of the crowd of people. "People of Storybrooke, don't be alarmed. We've always known this area was honeycombed with old mining tunnels. But fear not. I'm going to undertake a project to make this area safe – to rehabilitate it into city use. We will bulldoze it, collapse it, pave it."

Henry emerges from the crowd with Buffy. "Pave it? What if there's something down there?"

"Henry. What are you doing here?" Regina asks. 'With your sister I might ask,' she thinks.

"What's down there?" Henry asks.

Regina shakes her head, "Nothing. Now step back. In fact, everyone! Please, please step back. Thank you." She picks a piece of glass up off the ground and puts it in her pocket.

"What was that?" Henry asks.

Regina sighs, "Henry, enough. Listen. This is a safety issue. Wait in the car." Henry walks back to Regina's car. "Deputy Swan, Sheriff – cord off the area."

Henry is sitting in Regina's car. When he gets a chance, he gets out and whispers to Archie. "Hey, Archie! Over here."

Buffy, Henry, Emma and Archie all gather by a police car.

"This requires all of Operation Cobra. All of you." Henry says.

"I didn't realize I was in Operation Cobra." Archie says.

Henry smiles, "Of course you are. You know everything. We can't let her do this. What if there's something down there?"

"They're just some old tunnels." Emma says.

Buffy nods, "I'm afraid Emma's right, Henry."

"That just happen to collapse right after you both get here? You two, Dawn and Faith are changing things. You're all weakening the curse." Henry says.

"That's not what's happening." Emma says.

"Yes, it is! Did you do anything different today? Cause something made this happen." Henry says.

Regina walks up to the four of them. "Henry, I told you to wait in the car. Deputy, do your job. Ms. Summers this is a city matter I ask that you leave, please." Buffy sighs as she follows Emma away from Regina.

Later that afternoon back at the Summers/Lehane mansion. The phone rings and Buffy goes to answer it, "Hello?"

"Is Henry over there?" Regina asks.

"No why would he be?" Buffy says.

"I'm not naïve, Ms. Summers. I know Henry spends time at your house. Is he there?" Regina asks.

"No he's not why?" Buffy says.

"He's missing. Dr. Hopper thinks he may have gone back to the mine." Regina says. "I wanted to try your place first just in case."

"I'll meet you there." Buffy says.

"That's not necessary, Ms. Summers." Regina says.

"I will meet you there." Buffy says and hangs up. She writes a note to Dawn and Faith and then grabs her purse heading out the door.

30 minutes later Buffy, Emma and Archie are at the entrance to the tunnel and calling Henry's name. Archie's dog is also there with them.

"Henry!" Buffy, Archie and Emma say together.

"What do you got there, Pongo?" Archie asks.

"I don't think he's here." Emma says.

"I think he is." Archie says as he finds one of the candy bars that Henry had in his backpack. He holds it up. "Candy bar. He had these with him."

Suddenly, the shake starts to shake.

"Henry!" Buffy, Emma and Archie says.

"Henry, it's not safe!" Archie says.

"Henry!" Archie, Buffy and Emma says.

"I'm going in and I'm going to get him out." Buffy says as she looks at Emma. "I can see in almost total dark so I should have no problem."

Emma nods.

"Henry? Henry?" Buffy calls out as she enters the mine and walks down the tunnel.

Henry jumps out from around a corner. "Aunt Elizabeth!"

"Henry!" Buffy says.

"You're here to help me!" Henry says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, Henry, listen. We got to get out of here, okay?"

"Aunt Elizabeth I found something." Henry says.

Buffy sighs, "Henry, this place isn't safe. The whole tunnel could go."

"Please." Henry says. "Just come see what I found and then we'll go out."

Henry runs deeper into the mine followed by a reluctant Buffy.

Buffy follows Henry to point where he shines his flashlight down a hole.

"There's something shiny down there."

"Henry, this is seriously dangerous. We got to get out of here." Buffy said.

"It could be something." Henry said.

Buffy sighed, "Your right it could be. But if we don't get out now…"

"Please Aunt Elizabeth have a look." Henry said.

Buffy sighed and kneeled down next to Henry and looked down the hole. What she saw looked like straight out of her dream of when Snow White was in her coffin. "Snow's coffin."

Henry looked at her, "You're sure?"

Buffy nods, "Very. I saw it in a dream the other night. About the same time my memory of Snow came back."

Henry looked at Buffy shocked at this revelation, "Your memory of Snow White came back?"

Buffy nods, "Only of her though. I remember nothing that isn't in some way connected to her. I don't know what my parents look like. I don't even remember the face of who kidnapped me, Faith and Dawn."

"It'll all come back with time, Aunt Elizabeth." Henry said as they felt another earthquake and heard something crash.

"Well there went our way out." Buffy said. "Hopefully there is another way out. Should we try and find it?"

Outside the town is gathered, once again, around the entrance of the tunnel.

"Buffy's smarter than she pretends to be." Dawn said. "She will keep Henry safe."

The ground starts to shake.

"Watch out!" Marco says.

"Stop! Stop! You're making it worse!" Regina says.

"I am trying to save him and Buffy! You know why he went down there in the first place, don't you? Because you made him feel like he had something to prove." Emma says.

"And why does he think he has anything to prove? Who's encouraging him?" Regina asks. She looks to the tunnel entrance her worry mounting. Not only is her own son in there but so is one of her daughters. And time was running out before she might lose of them.

"Do not put this on me." Emma said.

"Oh, please! Lecture me until his and Ms. Summers oxygen runs out!" Regina says.

Buffy and Henry are still navigating the mine. They hear barking.

"Henry, do you hear that?" Buffy asks.

Henry nods, "It's Pongo! Archie's dog."

"Follow the noise!" Buffy says.

Outside Emma approaches Regina. "We have to stop this. Arguing won't accomplish anything."

Regina nods, "No, it won't." 'Not for either of them,' she thinks.

"What do you want me to do?" Emma asks.

"Help me." Regina says.

In the mine Buffy and Henry come across an elevator shaft.

"It's loudest over here." Buffy says.

"What's… What's this?" Henry says.

"Looks like…an old elevator." Buffy says.

Outside Regina and Emma are still talking as Dawn and Faith walks up to them.

"We need to find some way to punch through the ground. We need something big." Regina says.

"Like what?" Emma asks.

"Explosives." Marco says.

"That could collapse the mine on top of them." Dawn says.

Regina sighs and looks towards her youngest daughter, "Ms. Summers… Dawn, it's the only chance we got. Trust me okay we're going to get your sister and my son out of there. I promise."

Dawn looks to Faith who nods. She then looks back to Regina and nods in resignation.

Inside the mine, Buffy investigates the elevator. "It's to get the mine workers in and out. It goes all the way to the top. That's why we could hear Pongo."

"Can we make it work?" Henry asks.

Buffy smiles, "Let's give it a shot."

Outside the workers lay down the lines for the explosives. Everyone clears out of the area.

"Okay. We're all clear." Emma says.

Inside the mine Buffy turns the wheel that moves the elevator. It moves slightly. "I think I need to use full Slayer strength."

Henry nods. "Is there anything I can do to help, Aunt Elizabeth?"

"Pray." Buffy says. "And hope the ropes aren't rotten and we get sent to the bottom of the shaft."

Outside everyone positions themselves.

"Blow it." Regina says.

The explosives are set off, but end up causing the elevator to fall farther down the shaft. Emma runs to the entrance of the tunnel to check the results.

"Did it work?" Regina asks.

Emma shakes her head, "It didn't open."

"Then what did it do?" Graham asks.

"What was that?" Dawn asks.

"What the hell was that? You said you could do this!" Regina says.

"Madam Mayor! Dawn!" Emma says.

"They could have killed my son! And Ms. Summers." Regina says. 'Please let them not be dead. I don't think I could put up with losing any of my daughters again.' She thinks.

"I know, but this isn't helping." Emma says.

Marco nods, "If we knew exactly where they were, we could drill down to them. Maybe… Maybe rig something to bring them back up."

"But drill where?" Faith asks.

Archie lets Pongo out of the fire truck. "Come on buddy!"

"What are you thinking we-" Regina says.

"He's found something. Look! This is where they must be. What is it?" Archie says.

Graham and Marco move aside a piece of metal. Underneath is a grate.

"What is that?" Dawn asks.

"It's an air shaft." Graham says.

Inside the mine Henry and Buffy are sitting in the elevator.

"I'm really…really, really sorry." Henry says.

"It's alright." Buffy says and gives him a comforting hug.

"I just wanted to find proof." Henry says.

Buffy sighs, "You did find proof. In more ways than one, Henry. You've confirmed what I remember is real."

"Well then it's not all bad I guess." Henry says. "Aunt Elizabeth, I'm scared."

"So am I, Henry. So am I." Buffy says. "You know Henry I'm proud to have you for a nephew."

Henry smiles at the compliment, just then the elevator suddenly shifts farther down the shaft.

Outside Marco puts a hook attached to a truck around the grate.

"Okay. Alright – gun it. That's good! Alright, we got it. Alright." Emma says.

The grate is pulled off and everyone looks down the shaft.

"So, what's next?" Regina asks.

Inside the mine Henry and Buffy are still sitting in the elevator. The elevator jerks, again, and moves farther down the shaft.

Outside everyone is gathered around the air shaft.

"You need to lower someone straight down, or the line will collapse the side of the shaft." Marco says.

Graham nods, "I've got a harness."

"Lower me down." Regina says.

Emma shakes her head, "Oh, no way. I'm going."

"He's my son." Regina says.

"He's my son, too. You've been sitting behind a desk for ten years. I can do this." Emma says.

"How about this." Faith says. "I go. Em… MM, I can see in near total darkness. Can either of you?"

Emma looks to Faith, "I thought Buffy was the only one?"

Faith shakes her head, "Buffy hasn't been the only one in six years."

Emma nods, "Alright. Faith will go."

Regina looks to her daughter, "Just bring him to me."

Inside the mine pieces of rock fall through the grate at the top of the elevator. Henry and Buffy look up and see a light.

"Wh-what's that?" Henry asks.

Buffy smiles, "Our rescue. Hey Faith."

"You guys okay?" Faith asks.

"Getting sentimental, Faith?" Buffy asks.

"I think you and little D are beginning to rub off on me." Faith said.

Faith looks back up, "Okay, that's good. Stop."

"Here you go. Up." Buffy says as she passes Henry up to Faith.

"I got ya, little H. Okay. Okay, I got him." Faith says.

"You got him? Is he safe?" Buffy asks.

The elevator starts to shake.

"B?" Faith said.

"It's going to fall!" Buffy says.

The elevator falls down the entire shaft. Buffy appears to have fallen as well, but ends up saving herself as she grabs Faith's leg using her Slayer reflexes. "Sometimes like this I'm glad I'm a Slayer or I wouldn't have caught ahold of your leg in time."

"Me too, B. Me, too." Faith says.

Buffy, Faith and Henry are pulled out of the elevator shaft. Regina takes Henry aside. Marco grabs Buffy and hugs her. Emma runs over to Regina and Henry.

Dawn runs over to Faith and Buffy, "You okay."

Buffy nods, "I'm okay, Dawnie."

"You okay?" Emma asks.

"Deputy, you can clear the crowd away." Regina says as she pushes Emma away and sends Henry off. She goes over to Buffy, Dawn and Faith, "Buffy, thank you." 'Thank you for rescuing your brother,' she thinks.

Buffy smiles, "Your welcome."


	11. Chapter 11: The Shepherd

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 11: The Shepherd**

_A small crowd of people are gathered in a room in King Leopold's castle for his birthday. Snow White, a Genie, and the Evil Queen are in attendance. King Leopold goes up to the front of the room to make a speech._

_"No gifts are required to mark this special day, for they all pale in comparison to the greatest gift of all – my daughter, Snow." King Leopold says._

_Snow White blushes, "Father…" She joins the King at the front of the room as everyone claps. "Father, you make me blush."_

_"Every day I look upon your face, and I am reminded of your dearly departed mother. Who, like you, truly was the fairest in all the land?" King Leopold says._

_Snow White hugs King Leopold and the crowd claps again. She then whispers into her father's ear, "And my sisters?"_

_King Leopold looks to Snow White and then nods as he whispers back, "Yes even your sisters. May they find happiness wherever they are?"_

Dawn sits straight up in bed as realization spreads across her face. "The curse is real."

Next door Regina is on the phone with Sidney, "Did you find anything else out about Ms. Summers, her sister or Ms. Lehane? Such as maybe Ms. Lehane being stabbed?"

"Actually I just did. Ms. Lehane was stabbed and admitted to the Sunnydale Hospital for a stab wound to her stomach. It missed most of the vital organs thankfully. And she was found rather quickly so there was little blood loss. She ended up in a coma for three months. Several weeks after she regained consciousness she confessed to several crimes and spent two years in the Los Angeles County Jail." Sidney said.

"Was there anyone charged with the stabbing. Any witnesses, anything?" Regina asks.

"I'm afraid not. The case remained unsolved till Sunnydale disappeared literally from the face of the earth in, at the time, an undiscovered sinkhole." Sidney said.

"Was there any information on her parents? Say before the age of six?" Regina asks.

"No there is nothing. It seems she had amnesia and couldn't remember anything before she was six years old." Sidney said. "According to records no one came to claim her. So they put her into the system and adopted her out to the Lehane family."

"Thank you. If you find anything else." Regina says.

"You'll be the first to know." Sidney said.

Regina hung up the phone and looked to the painting on the wall of her daughters, "Faith, my little angel. What happened? Why did your sister stab you?"

The next day most of the people of Storybrooke are at David's coming home party. Over by the stairs, Emma, Buffy, Dawn and Henry are talking.

"You know why he doesn't remember? The curse isn't working on him yet." Henry says.

"Henry, David has amnesia." Emma says.

"Well, it's preventing the curse from replacing his fairy tale story with fake memories." Henry said.

Buffy looked to Dawn and sighed, "He's right. We have experience with biology not working exactly right with magic." She remembered when they had found out that it had been possible the monks spell may have caused Joyce's tumor.

"Right. Because everyone here has fake stories that prevent them from remembering who they really are." Emma says.

"Right. And now's our chance to help him. We just have to get him to remember that he's-" Henry says.

Emma sighs, "He's Prince Charming."

Buffy shakes her head as she remembers the dream of Charming waking Snow White in her coffin. "He is, Emma. I know you don't quite yet believe what Henry has told you. In fact I know you don't believe what I told you, and that you've just been humoring me and Faith. But believe me when I say it's all true."

"Anyways we just have to jog his memory by getting him and Miss Blanchard together." Henry says.

"Didn't we just try that?" Emma asks.

Dawn nods, "And it woke him up."

David joins Buffy, Dawn, Emma and Henry. "Hey. You're the ones who saved me, right?"

Buffy nods, "That's right."

"And, uh, you're also the only ones I know here." David says.

"You can hide with us." Emma says.

David smiles, "Fantastic."

A man serves David an appetizer. David stabs a cocktail weenie with a toothpick. "Oh, thank you."

"So, you ever use a sword?" Henry asks.

"I'm sorry? Emma, you live with Mary Margaret, right? You know if she's coming tonight?" David asked.

Emma shakes her head, "No, she couldn't make it."

"Oh." David said.

Later after David has left Kathryn approaches Buffy, Dawn, Emma, Henry and Dr. Whale.

"Have you seen David?" Kathryn asks.

"Um, he…" Emma says.

Dr. Whale shakes his head, "No."

Outside Mary Margaret's house she is trying to hang a bird feeder in a tree. David calls to her from the sidewalk. "Did you not get the invite?"

"David." Mary Margaret says.

David jumps over the fence and hangs the bird feeder for her. "So, I heard you resigned from the hospital. Was it me? Cause of what I told you, about how I felt about you… Oh, come on – don't tell me it's one sided."

"You're married. It should be no side." Mary Margaret says.

"Should be doesn't matter. Whoever married Kathryn, it's not me. I didn't choose her. I'm choosing you. I know you feel it – I can tell." David says.

Mary Margaret nods, "I know you think that we have this connection, but maybe it's because I happen to be the person who saved your life? So, why don't we leave it at that." She turns and leaves.

Later Mary Margaret is scrubbing at a dish in her kitchen as Emma enters.

"You might want to ease up, or that brillo pad's going to press charges." Emma says.

"Dishes were just piling up…" Mary Margaret says.

"This have anything to do with David stopping by? I saw him sulking away as I pulled up." Emma says.

Mary Margaret sighs, "We just, uh… He just…"

"Yeah, I know. You're both just. And you did the right thing." Emma says.

"He made a pretty compelling case." Mary Margaret says.

Emma shakes her head, "But he's still married. I know – I was just at the party."

"What do I do?" Mary Margaret asks.

"You need to stop cleaning. And have a drink." Emma says as she grabs a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. She pours them both a drink. "Here's the thing – I don't know a lot about relationships, other than having many that failed. But generally speaking, if you think something you want to do is wrong, it is. So, you got to stay strong and he has to figure out his life. Cheers."

They clink glasses.

Later Mary Margaret is reading the paper at Granny's Diner. The front page article is about David.

Dr. Whale walks up to her. "I'm a hell of a doctor, huh? No way he wakes up on someone else's watch."

"Hello, Dr. Whale." Mary Margaret says.

"So, I heard that you resigned from the hospital. I hope it wasn't because of me." Dr. Whale says.

Mary Margaret shakes her head, "Wh-why would it be because of you?"

Dr. Whale shrugs, "Well, our date… I never called you after. Yeah, I know, I know. It's not classy. And I'm sorry. But, if you could find a way to get over it, you know where to find me. Have a good day." He turns and leaves the diner. As he's walking out, Regina walks in.

"Miss Blanchard, may I have a word?" Regina asks.

Mary Margaret nods, "Of course."

"I wanted to talk to you about my friend Kathryn. But more specifically, I wanted to talk to you about her husband David. You don't belong together. He's not yours, he's taken, find somebody else." Regina says.

"I haven't done anything." Mary Margaret says.

"Really? So he just up and left his wife on a whim?" Regina says.

Mary Margaret looks at Regina with shock, "He did what?"

"You don't know." Regina says and Mary Margaret shakes her head. "Well, I suspect you soon will. So listen carefully, dear, cause it's in your best interest. Stay away. He's in a fragile state, he doesn't know who he is or what he's doing, and you're this close to wrecking multiple lives. So, before you do something that can't be undone, let him remember who he was." She turns and leaves Mary Margaret alone in the diner.

Later Mary Margaret is opening letters with a letter opener in her classroom.

David stands at the door. "Careful – looks sharp."

"You can't be here." Mary Margaret says.

David nods, "I… I needed to see you."

"Tell me you didn't leave your wife because of me? I do not want to destroy your marriage." Mary Margaret says.

"You're not. It's me. I don't want to hurt her either, but the most hurtful thing to Kathryn would be me pretending. She needs someone to feel about her the way I feel about you." David says.

"I'm really trying hard to stay away from you. To do the right thing." Mary Margaret says.

David sighs, "Why is that the right thing?"

"Because you already have a life." Mary Margaret says.

The bell rings and kids, and Dawn, start to file into the classroom.

Dawn moves over to her chair beside Mary Margaret's desk. "Hello, David."

"With someone I didn't choose." David says. "The man who chose that life, whoever married Kathryn, is gone." He looks to Dawn briefly, "Hello, Dawn."

"You really have to leave me alone." Mary Margaret says as she starts to push David out of the classroom.

"Is that truly what you want?" David asks.

"Go." Mary Margaret says.

"Meet me tonight. At least think about it. I'll be at the bridge where you found me at 8:00. Think about it until then and then decide. If you don't show, I'll know. And I'll never bother you again. But if you choose this – if you choose us – you know where I'll be." David says before leaving.

Mary Margaret looks to Dawn, "Can I get a ride I need to talk to someone tonight."

"Sure," Dawn says.

That afternoon after school is over, Dawn takes Mary Margaret back to the Summers/Lehane mansion.

"Why did you bring me here?" Mary Margaret asks.

"You said you needed to talk to someone. Buffy is a good listener. She's helped me out of situations like this before." Dawn says.

"I was thinking Emma, but alright." Mary Margaret says as Dawn leads her inside.

"Buffy." Dawn says. "I'm home."

"In here, Dawn." Buffy says as Dawn leads Mary Margaret into the living room. "Hello Mary Margaret."

"She said she needed someone to talk to. I thought you might be the best person for the job."

Buffy looks to her little sister and nods. She then looks to Mary Margaret. 'Are you in there Snow?' Buffy thinks before saying out loud, "Of course what can I help you with?"

"David left his wife. He left Kathryn." Mary Margaret says. "He did it for me. He wants me to be with him. He wants me to meet him tonight."

Buffy looks at Dawn before looking back at Mary Margaret, "Mary Margaret…"

"I mean, I'm trying so hard to be strong, but he just keeps coming. I mean, how do I stop it? You know, how do I let him down? What would you do?" Mary Margaret says.

"I'd go." Buffy says.

"What?" Mary Margaret says.

"Well he left her. It's one thing to say that he wants you, but it's another to actually make a choice and now, he has. That's all you can ask for." Buffy says.

"Given her new friendship with Kathryn, I don't think Regina would be happy." Mary Margaret says.

"Despite that she is our neighbor. I say all the more reason to do it." Buffy says.

"Good Lord, is this really happening?" Mary Margaret says.

"You tell me." Buffy says.

Later that evening Mary Margaret is waiting at the Toll Bridge. She is fiddling with the ring that Prince Charming's mother gave to him.

David runs up behind her. "You came."

"You sound surprised. In fact, you almost sound a bit disappointed." Mary Margaret says.

"I remember." David says.

"Kathryn?" Mary Margaret asks.

David nods. "Everything."

"And you love her." Mary Margaret says.

"I don't know. But I know I did. I remember how I felt and I think I have to honor that." David says.

Mary Margaret sighs, "And everything that you said to me-"

"Is true. I do have feelings for you – intense feelings. Feelings I don't quite understand." David says.

"And you're going back to her." Mary Margaret says.

David nods, "It's the right thing to do."

"The right thing to do, was not to lead me on." Mary Margaret says.

David sighs, "I know."

"So, you've made your choice." Mary Margaret says.

David nods, "I'm sorry-"

"That's okay. I guess it just wasn't meant to be." Mary Margaret says as she walks off and leaves David alone.

Later Mary Margaret is sitting alone in Granny's Diner. She is, again, fiddling with her ring.

Dr. Whale enters the diner and sits down next to her. "Rough day?"

"Don't feel like talking." Mary Margaret says.

"Come on. Sometimes, it's easier to talk to someone when you don't give a crap what they think." Dr. Whale says.

Mary Margaret sighs, "You ever walk into a situation, where you know exactly what's going to happen and then you go into it anyway. And then, when what you're afraid of happens, you kick yourself. Because you should've known better. But that's just who you are. It's like you're punishing yourself."

Dr. Whale shakes his head, "No."

"How do you do that?" Mary Margaret asks.

"By never knowing what's expected – keeps life interesting. Can I buy you a drink?" Dr. Whale says.

"You can buy me two." Mary Margaret says.

Across the diner from Mary Margaret and Dr. Whale sits Dawn and Buffy.

Dawn lets out a sigh, "Our poor sister."

Buffy nods, "Yeah. But once we and Emma break the curse, Charming will come back to her."

"Do you wish you could just go over there and tell her?" Dawn asks.

"That's she is Snow and we're her sisters?" Buffy asks and Dawn nods. "Yes. But she won't believe us. Not without proof. And I'm afraid that proof won't come till the curse is broken. It's why Emma didn't believe about the Slayer. How can she believe when she doesn't believe in magic?"


	12. Chapter 12: The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 12: The Heart is a Lonely Hunter**

Graham is playing darts at Granny's diner. He throws two darts and hits the deer both times. Ruby is waiting tables and Sidney is sitting in one of the booths.

"Nice shot, chief. I bet you twenty bucks you can't do it again." Sidney says.

Graham throws another dart and hits the deer again. "Next round's on him."

Emma enters through another door.

"Emma! What can I get you?" Ruby says.

"Nothing." Emma says as she walks towards the diner's exit. Graham throws a dart in her direction, which lands right next to her head. "What the hell? You could've hit me!"

"I never miss. You've been avoiding me since last night, when you saw me-" Graham says.

"Leaving the Mayor? And yes, that is a euphemism. I'm not avoiding you, Graham, I just have no interest in having this conversation. It's your life – I really don't care." Emma says as she leaves the diner.

Graham follows her outside. "If you don't care, then why are you so upset?"

"I'm not upset." Emma says.

"If that were true, you'd be at the bar with me, having a drink, and not running away." Graham says.

"It's none of my business. Really." Emma says.

Graham sighs, "Look, can we please talk about this? I need you to understand."

"Why?" Emma asks.

"I don't know. Maybe so I can understand?" Graham says.

"You need an analysis, go talk to Archie." Emma says.

Graham sighs, "I want to talk to you."

Emma shakes her head, "Well, your bad judgment is your problem – not mine."

"You don't know what it's like with her. I don't feel anything! Can you understand that?" Graham says.

"Bad relationship? Yeah, I understand a bad relationship. I just don't want to talk about yours." Emma says.

"Look, I know you and Regina have your own issues and… And I should have told you about that before you took the job." Graham says.

"Yeah, why the secrecy? We're all adults. You can do whatever you want." Emma says.

Graham sighs, "Because I… I didn't want you to look at me the way you are now."

"Why do you care how I look at you?" Emma asks.

"Because." Graham says.

"What?" Emma asks.

Graham kisses Emma. As soon as he does, he has a flashback to his life in the Enchanted Forrest. He sees a wolf with two differently colored eyes.

"What the hell was that?" Emma asks.

"Did you see that?" Graham asks.

"How much have you been drinking? That was way over the line." Emma says.

"I'm sorry, I just-" Graham says.

"What? You what?" Emma asks.

"I need to feel something." Graham says.

Emma sighs, "Listen to me, Graham. You are drunk and full of regret. I get it. But whatever it is you are looking to feel, I can tell you one thing – you're not getting it with me." She walks across the street and leaves Graham alone.)

30 minutes later Graham knocks on Regina's door.

Regina opens the door, "Graham?"

"Is Henry asleep?" Graham asks.

"Yes. Why?" Regina says.

Graham kisses Regina. She hesitates, then kisses him again and shuts the door.

Later Graham bolts upright in bed. He is sweating and breathing heavily.

Regina, who is laying next him, is also awakened. "What is it?"

"I had the most intense dream. I was in the woods hunting and I killed a deer. There was a wolf…" Graham says.

Regina frowns, "A wolf?" Is he remembering she wonders.

"Its eyes – one was blood red and the other was black as night. The funny thing is, I think I've seen the wolf before." Graham says.

Regina shakes her head, "Come back to sleep, Graham. It was only a dream."

"It didn't feel like a dream. It felt like a memory." Graham says as he gets up and starts getting dressed.)

"Graham." Regina says.

"I need some air. I need to think." Graham says.

"Graham, please. Come back to bed." Regina says.

Graham shakes his head, "I left my car anyway. I need to go and get it. Clear my head."

"Graham, listen. It's late, you're tired, and you're probably still drunk. Don't leave." Regina says.

"Since when do you want me to stay, anyway?" Graham asks.

"You're not well." Regina says.

"I'm fine." Graham says and he leaves Regina's room.

The next morning Graham is on the main street. He walks up to his squad car with his keys in hand, but drops them. When he kneels down to pick them up, there is the wolf with two differently colored eyes in front of him. The wolf walks off and into the woods.

Graham takes off after the wolf running through the woods, searching for the wolf. In the distance he his hears a wolf howling. He then hears a noise in the bushes, but it turns out to be Mr. Gold.

Mr. Gold is wearing an apron, boots and has a shovel. "Good morning, Sheriff. Sorry if I startled you."

"Right. Sorry, I… I thought you were a wolf." Graham says.

"Did I forget to shave?" Mr. Gold asks.

Graham shakes his head, "What are you doing out here so early?"

"A spot of gardening. Yourself?" Mr. Gold says.

"I was looking for, um…" Graham says.

Mr. Gold nods, "A wolf. Yeah, I think I'm beginning to catch on. You know, to the best of my knowledge, Sheriff, there are no wolves in Storybrooke. Not the literal kind, anyway. Why are you looking?"

"You'll think I'm crazy." Graham says.

Mr. Gold smiles, "Try me."

"I saw one in my dreams, and then I saw one for real. Just a few hours ago. Did you, uh… Did you see anything unusual out there?" Graham says.

Mr. Gold shakes his head, "I'm afraid not. I do wish I could be more helpful. You know, Sheriff, they say that dreams… Dreams are memories. Memories of another life."

"And what do you believe?" Graham asks.

"I never rule out anything. Good luck, Sheriff. I do hope you find what you're looking for." Mr. Gold says.

Graham returns to searching for the wolf in the woods. He, again, hears howling in the distance. Eventually, he finds the wolf in a clearing. "What do you want?" The wolf starts to walk away. "Hey!"

Graham whistles and the wolf stops. It turns around and approaches him. When Graham pets the wolf, he has another flashback to his life in Fairy Tale World. He sees Snow White, a dagger, and a symbol on a building. When he comes back to the present, the wolf is gone.

Later at the school the bell rings and the kids file out of Mary Margaret's classroom. Graham pushes past them and enters the classroom.

"Hello, Sheriff." Dawn says.

"Hello Ms. Summers." Graham says. "Mary Margaret? Can I talk to you?"

Mary Margaret nods, "Graham? What's the matter? Are you okay?"

"I think we, uh… I think we know each other." Graham says.

"Of course we do." Mary Margaret says.

Graham shakes his head, "No, no, no. Not from here. Not from Storybrooke."

"From where, then?" Mary Margaret says.

"Another life." Graham says. "Mary Margaret, how long have we known each other?"

Mary Margaret shrugs, "Um… I don't know. A while."

"Do you remember when we met?" Graham asks.

"Um. No." Mary Margaret says.

Dawn looks to Graham. He seems to be acting rather strange, compared to normally.

"Me neither. I can't remember when I met you, or when I met anyone. Isn't that odd?" Graham says.

"I don't know. I mean, I suppose. But, I think that's just life. Things get hazy." Mary Margaret says.

"Have I ever hurt you?" Graham asks.

Mary Margaret shakes her head, "Oh, Graham. No, of course not. What is going on?"

"Do you believe in other lives?" Graham asks.

"Mm, like heaven?" Mary Margaret asks.

Graham shakes his head, "I mean like past lives."

"You've been talking to Henry." Mary Margaret says.

"Henry?" Graham asks.

"Well, he has this book of stories. He's been going on about how he thinks we're all characters from them. From another land. We've forgotten who we really are. Which, of course, makes no sense." Mary Margaret says.

Dawn rolls her eyes. 'Of course they make sense,' she thinks. 'To those who remember or believe. Problem is my sister you don't remember.'

"Right. No, of course." Graham says.

"Graham." Mary Margaret says as she leans over and puts her hand on Graham's forehead. "Ah! You are burning up. Go home and get some rest. I think you'll feel much better after you've had some sleep."

"Right. You're absolutely right. I'm sorry to disturb you. I thank you." Graham says.

"Of course." Mary Margaret says. "Dawn would be kind enough to drive the good Sheriff home."

Dawn nods, "Sure, Mary Margaret." She and Graham walk outside and to her car.

"Ms. Summers would you take me to see Henry?" Graham asks.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Dawn says. "You're not feeling well. Mary Margaret said you're burning up. So you need to…"

"Please." Graham says.

Dawn sighs, "Okay."

30 minutes later they arrive at Regina's house and Graham rings the doorbell.

Henry answers the door. "Hey, Sheriff. Hey, Au… Dawn. My mom's not here, Sheriff."

"Actually, uh, I'm here to see you, Henry. I was hoping you could help me." Graham says.

"Help you with what?" Henry asks.

"It's about your book. Am I…in it?" Graham says.


	13. Chapter 13: The Heart is a Lonely Pt2

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 13: The Heart is a Lonely Hunter Pt. 2**

Dawn, Henry and Graham are sitting on the bed in Henry's room, flipping through the book.

"When did your flashes begin?" Dawn asks.

"Uh, right after I kissed Emma." Graham says.

"You kissed my mom? What did you see?" Henry asks.

"A wolf. I saw that I had a knife in my hand and I was with Mary Margaret." Graham says.

Henry nods, "Were you about to hurt her?"

"Yes! How do you know that?" Graham says.

"How did you know, Henry?" Dawn asks.

Henry smiles, "Because Mary Margaret is Snow White. Which makes you the Huntsman."

"Of course." Dawn says. "Snow White and the Huntsman. I should have guessed."

"So, you really think that I could be another person." Graham says.

Henry nods, "Makes total sense. You were raised by wolves – that's why you keep seeing one. It's your friend – your guide. It's trying to help you."

"I'm remembering this because I kissed your mother? H-How is that possible?" Graham says.

"I think I can answer this one." Dawn says. "Well, you two do have a special connection. She owes you her life."

"Why?" Graham asks Dawn.

"You see, Snow White's Emma's mother and you spared her. If you hadn't, Henry's mom wouldn't have been born." Dawn said. "And I would almost hazard to guess that if you hadn't of spared, Snow. Me and my sisters wouldn't have come to Storybrooke."

"Why?" Graham asks again.

"You see… Buffy, Faith and I are Snow White's half-sisters. Without Snow here I don't think we would have had a reason to be in Storybrooke to begin with." Dawn says.

"Wh-What happened after I spared Snow White?" Graham asks.

"The Queen took your heart. She ripped it out. It's kind of her thing. She never wanted you to be able to feel again." Henry said.

"Let me see that book." Graham says as he takes the book from Henry and turns the pages. He gets to an image with the Evil Queen and a building with the same symbol that he previously saw in his flashback. "What's that? I saw that, too. The wolf was howling at it."

"That's her vault. It's where she put your heart." Henry says.

"The wolf wants me to find it. Thank you, Henry." Graham says, "Dawn will you drive me to the woods?"

Dawn nods, "Sure. I'll even help you find the wolf."

Graham quickly leaves Henry's room followed by Dawn.

Emma is waiting outside the Mayor's house. When Graham and Dawn comes out, she confronts Graham. "Hey. Hear you're having a rough day."

"Who says?" Graham says.

"Pretty much everyone. I think maybe you need to go home and get some rest." Emma says.

"I'm fine." Graham says.

Emma shakes her head, "No, Graham, you're not fine. You just had Dawn take you to see a ten year old for help."

"He and Dawn's the only ones making any sense." Graham said.

"What's going on? What's really going on?" Emma asks.

Dawn lets out a sigh, but bites her tongue. It's not her story to tell. Especially to Emma who doesn't believe in the curse.

"It's my heart, Emma. I need to find it." Graham says.

"Okay. So, how are you going to do that?" Emma says.

"I just need to follow the wolf." Graham says.

Emma frowns, "What? What wolf?"

"From my dreams. It's going to help me find my heart." Graham says.

"I'm sorry. I thought we were talking in a metaphor here. You really think you don't have a heart?" Emma says.

Graham nods, "It's the only thing that makes any sense. It's the only thing that explains why I don't feel anything."

"Listen to me, Graham. You have a heart. I can prove it." Emma says as he puts her hand on Graham's chest. "See? It's beating. It's real." Graham shakes his head. Emma grabs his hand and places it where her hand previously was. "Feel that? That is your heart."

"No. It's the curse." Graham says.

"You can't really believe that's true." Emma says as she suddenly stares at something behind Graham.

"What?" Dawn asks as she turns and she too sees it.

Behind them, is the wolf with the two differently colored eyes. It runs away and the three of them follow it. A short time later they follow the wolf to a graveyard.

"Graham! Graham, be careful." Emma says.

"He's my friend. He won't hurt us." Graham says.

Dawn nods in agreement.

The wolf stops and howls briefly, then runs farther into the graveyard. They follow and eventually lose sight of the wolf and end up stopping in front of a crypt. Graham looks up and sees the symbol from his flashback.

"What is it?" Emma asks.

"Is that the symbol you saw?" Dawn asks.

Graham nods, "It's my heart. It's in there." He takes out a flashlight. "I have to look in there."

"Oh, no! Stop. Stop." Emma says.

"I have to get in there, please-" Graham says.

"Graham, come on! You really think that your heart is in there?" Emma says as Graham nods. She looks to Dawn who nods also. She sighs, "Okay. Let's find out." She tries to open the doors of the crypt, but they're locked. "Come on!" She kicks open one of the doors and they enter the crypt.

There's a sarcophagus in the center with several urns on shelves lining the walls.

"It's got to be in here. Somewhere." Graham says as he begins to scan the walls of the crypt. "There's got to be a hidden door. A lever." He checks one of the urns. "Something."

"I wish Buffy or even Faith were here. They could find it for you." Dawn says.

"Graham. Hey. Graham, there's nothing in here." Emma says.

Graham shakes his head, "There has to be. If there isn't, then-"

"It's okay. It's going to be okay." Emma says.

Regina, who is standing outside the entrance, yells to them. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Dawn, Emma and Graham exit the crypt.

"What are you doing here?" Dawn asks.

"Bringing flowers to my father's grave like I do every Wednesday." Regina says as she glares at her youngest daughter.

"Don't blame them. It's my fault. I wanted to look in there." Graham says.

"Really? Why? What were you looking for?" Regina asks.

"Nothing. It was, uh… It was nothing." Graham says.

"You don't look well, dear. Let's take you home." Regina says as she grabs Graham's arm and starts to drag him with her, but he breaks free of her grasp.

"Regina, I… I don't want to go home. Not with you." Graham says.

"Oh? But you'll go with her." Regina says.

"Hey. This is between you two – leave me out of it." Emma says.

"And me." Dawn says.

"They're right – it's between us. And things have to change." Graham says.

Regina nods, "And I wonder why that is all of a sudden."

"It has nothing to do with Emma or Dawn. You know, I've realized that I don't feel anything, Regina. And I know now it's not me – it's you." Graham says.

"So, you're leaving me for her?" Regina asks.

Graham shakes his head, "I'm leaving you for me."

"Graham, you're not thinking straight." Regina says.

"Actually, for the first time, I am. I'd rather have nothing than settle for less. Nothing? Is better than what we have. I need to feel something, Regina, and the only way to do that is to give myself a chance." Graham says.

Regina sighs, "Graham-"

"I'm sorry. It's over." Graham says.

"I don't know what I ever did to you, Miss Swan, to deserve this. To have you keep coming after everything I hold dear." Regina says.

"I told you – it's not her." Graham says.

"None of this happened until she got here." Regina said.

"I'm sorry. Did you ever stop to think that maybe the problem isn't with me, but with you?" Emma says.

"Excuse me?" Regina asks.

"Henry came and found me. Graham kissed me. Both were miserable. Maybe, Madam Mayor, you need to take a good hard look in the mirror and ask yourself why that is. Why is everyone running away from you?" Emma says.

Regina punches Emma in the face, who then falls into Graham. Dawn drops into a combat crouch in front of Emma. Regina looks to her youngest daughter and frowns. 'You're really going to protect her over your own mother, my daughter,' Regina thinks to herself.

"Regina!" Graham says.

Emma recovers from the attack and punches Regina back in the face. Emma grabs Regina and pushes her against the side of the crypt.

Graham also gets up and tries to split them up. "Stop! Stop! Stop!" He pulls Emma away from Regina.

Dawn looks at Regina, she sees something in Regina's eyes almost like she is begging Dawn to help her.

"Not worth it." Emma says as she starts to leave, walking away from Dawn, Graham and Regina.

"Graham." Regina says as she approaches Graham, but Graham ignores her and follows Emma.

Dawn looks to Regina and then turns and leaves heading back to the Summers/Lehane mansion.

Later Graham and Emma are at the station. He has the first aid kit out and puts an ice pack on her head.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I kind of lost my mind." Graham says.

"It's okay. You were tired and feverish… And heartbroken." Emma says.

"I don't know why I let myself get caught up with her." Graham says.

Emma nods, "Because it was easy. And safe. Not feeling anything's an attractive option when what you feel sucks." Graham goes to wipe off the cut on the side of Emma's head. She flinches. "Felt that."

"All better." Graham says.

Emma nods, "Yeah."

"What?" Graham asks.

Emma walks over to Graham. They kiss and he has another flashback to his life in the Enchanted Forrest. He sees the wolf with the two differently colored eyes, the fight at the tavern, the Evil Queen when they first met, Snow White, the dagger, the whistle, the deer, the symbol, him reading the letter, the Evil Queen with the stag heart, and the Evil Queen putting his heart in the box. When he comes back to the present, he staggers backwards.

"Graham? Are you okay?" Emma asks.

Graham nods, "I remember."

"Graham?" Emma says.

Graham smiles, "I remember."

"You remember what?" Emma asks.

Graham holds Emma's face in his hands. "Thank you." He and Emma go to kiss, but Graham suddenly falls to the floor. Emma repeatedly yells his name, trying to wake him up, but is unsuccessful.


	14. Chapter 14: Desperate Souls

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 14: Desperate Souls**

_A woman is looking over the balcony of the castle. On the lower level, she sees Snow White place a white rose on top of a coffin._

_"Goodbye, Father." The Snow White says._

_The woman makes her way down to the girl and touches her on the shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Snow."_

_"I loved him so much." Snow White says._

_The woman nods, "So did I, dear. So did I. The loss I feel for my husband must be nothing compared to the loss you feel for your father. The way it was when your half-sisters, my daughters disappeared. If there is anything I could do, please, let me know. I may only be your mother through marriage, but I'm here for you, dear. Truly and forever." _

_Snow White hugs the woman._

Buffy wakens as once again memories flood into her mind of one person and only one person. She sits up in bed, "I remember, father."

The next day Mr. Gold is covering a piece of cloth with lanolin in the back room of his pawn shop.

Emma enters through the front door and calls out for him. "Gold! In here?"

"Well, it is my shop." Mr. Gold says.

Emma enters the back room. "Whoa! What is that?"

"Oh, this is lanolin – used for waterproofing." Mr. Gold says.

"It smells like livestock." Emma says.

"Well, it is the reason why sheep's wool repels water." Mr. Gold says.

"It stinks. Um, if there was a reason you called the Sheriff's Department… If you want to talk about that quickly-" Emma says.

Mr. Gold nods, "Yes."

"Or outside…" Emma says.

"I just wanted to, uh, express my condolences, really. The Sheriff was a good man. You're still wearing the Deputy's badge. Well, he's been gone two weeks, now, and I believe that after two weeks of acting as Sheriff, the job becomes yours. You'll have to wear the real badge." Mr. Gold says.

"Yeah, I guess. I'm just not in a hurry. So, um, thank you for the kind words." Emma says as she goes to leave and exits to the main part of the shop.

Mr. Gold follows her. "I have his things."

"What?" Emma asks.

Mr. Gold walks over to a box on the counter. "The Sheriff. He rented an apartment that I own. Another reason for my call, really. I wanted to offer you a keepsake."

"I don't need anything." Emma says.

"As you wish. Well, give them to Mayor Mills. Seems like she was the closest thing he had to family." Mr. Gold says.

"I'm not sure about that." Emma says.

Mr. Gold smiles, "No love lost there, I see. Look, I feel that all of this stuff is headed for the trash bin – you really should take something. Look – his jacket."

"No." Emma says.

"Well, look. Your boy might like these, don't you think? You could play together." Mr. Gold says as he holds up a pair of walkie talkies.

"I don't-" Emma says.

"No, please. They… They grow up so fast." Mr. Gold says.

Emma smiles, "Thanks." She takes the walkie talkies from Mr. Gold.

"You enjoy these with your boy. Your time together is precious, you know? That's the thing about children – before you know it, you lose them." Mr. Gold says.

Later Emma meets Buffy and Henry at his playground castle, bringing the two walkie talkies with her. She sits down next to them and hands Henry one. "Brought you something. Thought we could use them together for Operation Cobra."

Henry smiles, "Thanks."

"Oh, come on! What's up? You've been ducking me for weeks." Henry says.

"I think we should stop Cobra stuff for a while. You don't play with the curse. Look what happened to Graham." Henry says.

"Henry, I told you they did an autopsy. It was totally natural causes." Emma says.

"Besides." Buffy says. "One thing I learned during my time as a Slayer. War comes with casualties. It's regrettable but it happens. But the fight must continue."

Henry sighs, "Okay, whatever. Emma doesn't believe anyways – good." He looks at Emma. "That should keep you from messing with it. And getting killed."

"You're worried about me?" Emma asks.

"She killed Graham because he was good – and you're good. So are you Aunt Elizabeth." Henry says.

"Henry…" Buffy and Emma says.

"Good loses – good always loses. Because good has to play fair – evil doesn't. She's evil. This is probably best. I don't want to upset her anymore." Henry says as he gives Emma back the walkie talkie and leaves.

"Give him time," Buffy says. "He'll come around. But he's wrong. Good doesn't always lose. Sometimes yes. But if I had let that thinking stop me. I would have given up before the fight with the First Evil."

Emma looks to Buffy, "You're still on about being the Slayer?"

"You want proof?" Buffy asks. "Spar with me. If you manage to beat me then I will admit I have delusions and will seek professional help. But if I beat you, you will believe what I told you is real."

Emma sighs and nods, "Okay."

Two hours later Emma throws her keys on her desk at the station. She had sparred with Buffy and had to admit that the woman was faster and stronger than she appeared, with pretty good reflexes to boot. Was it because as Buffy had stated that she was the Slayer? Or was she just that good. It had given her something to think about. She looks on the desk to see the Sheriff's badge is there. She goes to put it on, when Regina enters.

"Oh, I'm sorry. That's not for you." Regina says.

"It's been two weeks – promotion's automatic." Emma says.

"Unless the Mayor appoints someone else within the time period, which I'm doing today." Regina says.

"So, who's it going to be?" Emma asks.

Regina smiles, "After due reflection – Sidney Glass."

"Sidney from the newspaper? How does that even make sense?" Emma says.

"Well, he's covered the Sheriff's Office for as long as anyone can remember." Regina said.

"And he'll do whatever you want him to. You just cannot stand the fact that things have been getting better around here, can you?" Emma said.

"Better? Are you referring to Graham's death as 'better'?" Regina asks.

Emma shakes her head, "No."

Regina nods, "He was a good man, Miss Swan. He made this town safe, and forgive me for saying it, but you have not earned the right to wear his badge."

"Graham picked me to be Deputy." Emma said.

"He was wrong." Regina said.

Emma shakes her head, "No. He knew what he was doing. He freed this office from your leash. You're not getting it back."

"Actually, I just did. Miss Swan, you're fired." Emma said as she takes the Sheriff's badge off the desk and leaves.

Later at Mary Margaret's apartment, Emma is trying to pry open a toaster with a knife. She has the music blaring and there is a half empty bottle of whiskey on the table.

Mary Margaret comes home and sees what Emma is doing. She turns off the music. "Toaster broken?"

"It wasn't when I started with it. Pretty sure it is now. Just needed to hit something." Emma said.

"What's going on?" Mary Margaret asks.

Emma sighs, "Regina fired me so she could put one of her own puppets in as Sheriff. It's my job."

"I never heard you so passionate about it before. What happened?" Mary Margaret says.

"I don't know, I just… I know I want it back." Emma says.

"There must be a reason." Mary Margaret says.

There's a knock on the door.

"Maybe I just want to beat her." Emma says as she answers the door and it turns out to be Mr. Gold. He has a large binder under his arm.

"Good evening, Miss Swan. Sorry for the intrusion. There's something I'd like to discuss with you." Mr. Gold says.

"I'll let you two talk." Mary Margaret says and she leaves the room.

"Come on in." Emma says.

"Thank you. I, uh… I heard about what happened. Such an injustice." Mr. Gold says.

"Yeah, well, what's done is done." Emma says.

"Spoken like a true fighter." Mr. Gold says.

Emma sighs, "I don't know what chance I have. She's Mayor and I'm, well, me."

"Miss Swan, two people with a common goal can accomplish many things. Two people with a common enemy can accomplish even more. How would you like a benefactor?" Mr. Gold says.

"A benefactor?" Emma asks.

Mr. Gold nods, "You mind?" He gestures to the table and both he and Emma sit down. He puts the binder on the table and opens it. "You know, it really is quite shocking how few people study the town charter."

"The town charter?" Emma asks.

Mr. Gold nods, "Well, it's quite comprehensive. And the Mayor's authority? Well, maybe she's not quite as powerful as she seems."

Later Regina, Sidney, and several news reporters are gathered in Regina's office.

"Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own homes. That's why Sidney Glass is my choice for post of Sheriff. This man has put the needs of Storybrooke above his own for as long as any of us can remember as chief editor of the Storybrooke Daily Mirror. Please welcome your new Sheriff!" Regina says as she goes to pin the Sheriff's badge on Sidney, when Emma enters.)"

"Hang on a second." Emma says.

Regina frowns, "Oh, Miss Swan, this is not appropriate."

"The only thing not appropriate is this ceremony. She does not have the power to appoint him." Emma says.

"The town charter clearly states the Mayor shall appoint-" Regina says.

Emma smiles, "A candidate. You could appoint a candidate. It calls for an election."

"The term 'candidate' is applied loosely." Regina says.

Emma shakes her head, "No, it's not. It requires a vote. And guess what, Madam Mayor? I'm running."

"Fine. So is Sidney." Regina says.

"I am?" Sidney says as Regina turns around and gives him a look. "I am."

"With my full support. I guess we'll learn a little something about the will of the people." Regina says.

Emma nods, "I guess we will."

Later Dawn and Henry are sitting at a booth in Granny's Diner, Henry's reading a newspaper.

Emma enters and sits down next to Henry. "How was school?"

"Okay." Henry says.

"You're reading that paper pretty hard." Emma says.

"He hasn't put it down since we got here." Dawn said.

"Sidney wrote it." Henry says as he passes Emma the paper. On the front page, there's an article titled 'Ex-Jailbird – Emma Swan birthed babe behind bars'. "Is it a lie?"

"No." Emma says.

"I was born in jail?" Henry asks.

"Yes." Emma says.

Dawn frowns, "Emma aren't those records supposed to be sealed?"

Emma sighs and looks at Dawn, "Yes they are supposed to be sealed." She looks back at Henry. "Tell me you're not scarred for life."

Henry shakes his head, "I'm not. Well, not by this."

Emma smiles, "Good. Then, let's throw this out and we will get our news from something more reliable. Like the internet."

"This is what I've been trying to tell you – good can't be evil, because good doesn't do this kind of thing. My mom plays dirty – that's why you can't beat her. Ever." Henry said.

Dawn sighs, "This again?" They look at her. "Buffy told me about this morning. Henry the good guys can and do often win. Buffy is proof of that."

"Besides, I have a new ally. Mr. Gold said he's going to help." Emma says.

"Mr. Gold? He's even worse than she is. You and Aunt Elizabeth already owe him one favor. You don't want to owe him anymore. Don't do this." Henry says.


	15. Chapter 15: Desperate Souls Pt 2

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 15: Desperate Souls Pt. 2**

Emma enters Regina's office at the Town Hall with the newspaper in hand. "This was a juvie record. This was sealed by court order. I don't know how you got it, but that's abuse of power and illegal."

"Oh, I'm sorry. You didn't want people to know you cut his cord with a shiv?" Regina says.

"I don't care what people know, but this hurts Henry." Emma says.

"He would've learned eventually. We all lose our heroes at some point." Regina says as she and Emma exit the office and walk through the building.

"He doesn't need to lose anything more. He's depressed, Madam Mayor. He doesn't have any… Any hope. Don't you see that?" Emma says.

Regina smiles, "He's fine."

Emma shakes her head, "He's not fine. I mean, think about it. Watching his adoptive mother throw an illegal smear campaign against his birth mother? You don't think that would be upsetting?"

"All I did was expose him to the truth. And as for the legality – I did nothing wrong. But you and Sidney will have a chance to get into all that at the debate."

"Debate?" Emma asks.

Regina nods, "Yes, Miss Swan, there's a debate. You two can talk about jail time and juvie records and maybe even your new association with Mr. Gold. He's a snake, Miss Swan. You need to be careful who you get into bed with."

"I'm not getting into bed with anyone. I'm just fighting fire with-" Emma says.

Regina opens the door and an explosion is set off, setting the next room on fire. Emma and Regina are thrown back from the blast. Regina's ankle is crushed by a piece of debris and is immobilized. Emma frees Regina.

"Alright, come on – let's go! We got to get out of here." Emma says.

"I can't move! You have to get me out. Help me!" Regina says as Emma goes to leave, but Regina grabs her arm and stops her. "You're going to leave me, aren't you?"

Emma breaks free of Regina's grasp and leaves into the next room that's on fire. Regina tries to get up on her own, but Emma comes back with a fire extinguisher. She gets the fire under control and clears the way to the exit. Regina puts her arm around Emma's shoulder and the two leave the building. Outside, a reporter takes a picture of them leaving and sirens are heard in the background.

"Oh, ow, ow! My ankle! Set me down gently!" Regina says.

"Seriously? You're complaining about how I saved your life?" Emma asks.

"The firemen are here. It's not like we were really in danger." Regina says.

Emma sighs, "Fine. Next time I'll just… I'll just… Ah, you know what? Next time, I'll do the same thing. And the time after that because that is what decent human beings do. That's what good people do." She Emma walks away from Regina.

By the fire truck, Henry is talking with a firefighter. "Did Emma really rescue my mom?"

Regina is on a stretcher with an oxygen mask. She overhears Henry and throws off the mask in anger. "Enough!"

"Regina." Paramedic says.

"I'm fine." Regina says.

Sidney runs up to Regina with a camera and takes a picture. "Nice shot of the victim?"

"Sidney? What the hell are you doing? Are you trying to hand this election to her?" Regina

"But it's news." Sidney says.

"She's the competition, you fool." Regina says.

Emma, Buffy and various people from town are talking in a group.

"Did you really rescue Regina?" Mary Margaret asks.

Henry nods, "She did! The fireman said it. They saw it."

"You are a hero." Ruby says.

"We should see if they have a picture of the rescue." Mary Margaret says.

Granny nods, "We could make campaign posters."

"Oh, people would love that! That's a great idea. Wait, so…" Archie says as the group walks away, leaving Buffy, Emma and Henry alone.

"This is how good wins. You do something good and people see it, and then they want to help you." Buffy says.

Henry nods, "Maybe you're right, Aunt Elizabeth."

"You see, Henry? We don't have to fight dirty." Emma says.

In the pile of debris, Emma notices the same fabric that Mr. Gold was preparing in his shop when she spoke with him.

Later Mr. Gold is wiping off his hands with a rag when Emma enters the pawn shop. She has the fabric from the fire with her.

"Loads of visitors today. Do hope you're not going to break my little bell." Mr. Gold says.

"You set the fire." Emma says.

"I've been right here, Miss Swan." Mr. Gold says.

Emma shakes her head as she shows him the fabric, "Take a whiff. It smells like your sheep crap oil. Turns out it's flammable."

"Oh. Are you sure? There's some construction working on at City Hall at the moment. There are loads of flammable solvents used in construction." Mr. Gold says.

"Why did you do it?" Emma asks.

"'If' I did it. If I did it, that would be because you cannot win without something big. Something like, uh… Oh, I don't know. Being the hero in a fire?" Mr. Gold says.

Emma shakes her head, "How could you even know I'd be there at the right time?"

"Maybe Regina's not the only one with eyes and ears in this town. Or maybe…I'm just intuitive – were I involved." Mr. Gold says.

"I could've run and left her there." Emma says.

Mr. Gold shakes his head, "You like Buffy Summers are not the type."

"I can't go along with this." Emma says.

Mr. Gold smiles, "You just did. This is just the price of election, Miss Swan."

"A price I'm not willing to pay. Find another sucker." Emma says.

"Okay, go ahead – expose me. But if you do, just think about what you'll be exposing and what you'll be walking away from." Mr. Gold says as Emma heads for the door. "Oh, yes. And, um… Who you might be disappointing."

Later at the debate Emma is waiting at the podium. Mary Margaret comes up to her and hands her a piece of paper and a bottle of water. "I'm not going to win."

"What are you talking about? Everyone's talking about what you did in the fire." Mary Margaret says.

"No, Henry's right – I can't beat Regina at this. Not the way she fights. Watch and see." Emma says.

"Is this really just about beating Regina." Buffy says as she walks up to podium.

"It's just…" Emma says.

"Henry." Mary Margaret and Buffy says.

"I want to show him that good can actually win." Emma says. "And not just in your stories either, Buffy."

"When you believe then you will know my stories are real." Buffy says. "Till then…"

"Anyways that is why you want to win it for him, but why do you want to win the election for yourself?" Mary Margaret says.

"That is why. I want to show him that a hero can win. And if I'm not… If I'm not a hero and I'm not the savior, then what part do I have in his life? Okay. There it is." Emma says.

"There it is." Mary Margaret says.

Moments later Archie is giving his opening speech to the audience. Emma and Sidney are sitting on either side of him. "Tragedy has brought us here, but we are faced with this decision. And now, we ask only that you listen with an open mind and to please vote your conscience. So, without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to the candidates – Sidney Glass and Emma Swan. Glass. Swan. Sounds like something that a decorator would make you buy. Wow, crickets. Okay, uh… Uh, Mr. Glass – your opening statement."

Sidney walks up to the podium. "I just want to say, that if elected, I want to serve as a reflection of the best qualities of Storybrooke. Honesty, neighborliness, and strength. Thank you." He sits back down and Archie calls upon Emma.

"And Emma Swan." Archie says.

Emma walks up to the podium. "You guys all know I have what they call a, uh… Troubled past. But, you've been able to overlook it because of the, um… Hero thing. But here's the thing – the fire was a setup. Mr. Gold agreed to support me in this race, but I didn't know that that meant he was going to set a fire. I don't have definitive evidence, but I'm sure. And the worst part of all this was – the worst part of all this is – I let you all think it was real. And I can't win that way. I'm sorry."

Mr. Gold gets up from the audience and leaves.

Later Emma is finishing off a drink at Granny's Dinner.

Ruby is behind the counter. "Another?"

"Oh, hell yes." Emma says.

Ruby goes to get another drink as Dawn and Henry enters the dinner. Henry sits next to Emma as Dawn sits opposite them.

"Hey, Henry… Hey, Dawn." Emma says.

Henry pulls a walkie talkie out of his book bag and hands it to Emma.

"What's this for?" Emma asks.

Henry smiles, "You stood up to Mr. Gold. It's pretty amazing."

"Well, he did something illegal." Emma says.

Dawn nods, "That's what heroes do – expose stuff like that."

Henry nods, "I shouldn't have given up on Operation Cobra."

Regina and Sidney enter the dinner.

"I thought I might find you here. With a drink. And my son." Regina says. She glares at Dawn and thinks to herself, 'And my youngest daughter. Trying to corrupt my whole family are you Miss Swan?'

"Here to card me, officer?" Emma asks.

Sidney shakes his head, "Well, not at all. In fact, I think I'll join you."

"Here? I don't know. I think they're setting up a back room for the victory party." Emma says.

"Oh, well, you'll have to tell me what that's like." Sidney says.

"Congratulations. …Sheriff Swan." Regina says as she pulls out the Sheriff's badge and places it on the counter.

"Wait, what?" Henry asks.

Dawn looks at the badge and then smiles.

The people from Storybrooke start to file into the dinner.

"It was a very close vote, but people really seem to like the idea of a Sheriff brave enough to stand up to Mr. Gold." Regina says.

"Are you joking?" Emma asks.

Sidney shakes his head, "She doesn't joke."

"You didn't pick a great friend in Mr. Gold, Miss Swan, but he does make a superlative enemy. Enjoy that." Regina says.

Later Emma is at the station. She enters the Sheriff's office and notices a jacket hanging on the coat rack.

Mr. Gold then walks in. "The Sheriff's jacket – I thought you might want it after all."

"You do know I'm armed, right?" Emma asks.

Mr. Gold nods, "It's all part of the act, my dear. Political theatre in an actual theatre. I knew no one was going to vote for you unless we gave you some kind of extraordinary quality, and I'm afraid saving old Regina's arse from the fire just wasn't going to do that. We had to give you a higher form of bravery. They had to see you defy me – and they did."

"No way. There's no way you planned that." Emma says.

"Everyone's afraid of Regina, but they're more afraid of me. By standing up to me, you won them over. It was the only way. " Mr. Gold says.

"You knew I'd agree." Emma says.

Mr. Gold nods, "Oh, yeah. I know how to recognize a desperate soul."

"Why did you do this?" Emma asks.

Mr. Gold smiles, "You, Miss Summers and I made a deal some time back, Miss Swan. We established that you owed me a favor. I know that can be a bad feeling – owing someone. Now that you're Sheriff, I'm sure we'll find some way for you to pay back what you owe me. Congratulations. Now I want you to do one thing. Your choice as this is not the favor I'm asking for… Buffy Summers.

Emma nods, "I already intend to ask her to be my deputy."

"Good. Good." Mr. Gold said. "With her as your deputy maybe she and I can find a way to pay back that favor she owes me."

Later that evening at the Summers/Lehane mansion there is a knock on the door. Faith goes to answer it and finds Emma waiting, "Hello Em."

"Faith." Emma says. "Is Buffy in?"

Faith nods and motions for Emma to enter. "B! Em's here." She shows Emma into the living room as Buffy enters from another door.

"Hey Emma." Buffy says.

Emma smiles, "Buffy I have a favor to ask."

"Shoot." Buffy says.

"I want you to be my deputy." Emma says.

"Wow, B!" Faith says.

Buffy shakes her head, "I'm not sure, Emma."

Emma nods, "I may not believe you're this mystical Slayer. But I saw the way you sparred. And I feel you're the best person for the job."

Buffy thinks it over for a moment and then nods, "Alright. I'll do it."

Emma reaches into her jacket pocket and hands Buffy a badge.

"One thing though. I won't carry a gun." Buffy says.

Emma nods, "Alright."


	16. Chapter 16: True North

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 16: True North**

_"Follow me." Regina says as she leads Snow White into the field, where they come to a tombstone. It has a heart etched into it. "Do you remember when I ran down your runaway horse, Snow? Do you remember when I saved your life?"_

_Snow White nods, "Of course. It all looks the same."_

_"Not quite. This is new." Regina says._

_"Is that…" Snow White says._

_Regina nods, "A grave. Daniel's grave."_

_"Daniel? I thought…" Snow White says._

_"He ran away? I told you that to spare your feelings out of…kindness. But he died because of you." Regina says._

_"I-I'm… I'm sorry." Snow White says._

_"I'm sorry, too. But nothing can change what happened. What you did. You promised to keep my secret. You promised, but you lied." Regina says._

_"I was very young, and your mother-" Snow White says._

_Regina shakes her head, "She ripped his heart out because of you. Because you couldn't listen to me."_

Faith sat up in bed and sighed, "Poor, Regina."

The next day Mr. Clark, Regina, Henry, Ava and Nicholas are at the convenience store.

"Well, I'm sorry, Madam Mayor, but your son was shoplifting." Mr. Clark says.

Regina looks to Henry, "Were you?"

Henry shakes his head.

"Look for yourself." Mr. Clark says.

Regina sighs, "My son doesn't eat candy. And he knows better than to steal. It was obviously those two. We're going." She and Henry head for the door.

Buffy and Emma walks in just before Henry and Regina get a chance to leave.

"Henry. What happened?" Emma asks

"Miss Swan, must I remind you that genetics mean nothing. You're not his mother and it's all taken care of." Regina says. "Miss Summers is there a reason for you to be here?"

"I'm here because I'm the Sheriff. And Buffy is my Deputy, and before you make a scene over that. Need I remind you of something that Graham said when he hired me? It's in my budget."

Regina nods, "Oh, that's right. Go on – do your job. Take care of those miscreants." She and Henry leave the store.

"Did you call their parents?" Buffy asks.

Mr. Clark shakes his head, "Uh, the number they gave me was disconnected."

"Did you guys give Mr. Clark a fake number?" Emma asks as Ava and Nicholas shake their heads. "Then why's it disconnected?"

"Cause our parents couldn't pay the bill." Ava said.

"And you guys are just trying to help out, huh?" Buffy asks.

"Please – please don't arrest us. It will just make things worse for our parents." Ava says.

Later Emma and Buffy pulls up to Nicholas and Ava's house.

"This it?" Buffy asks.

Ava nods. Emma and Buffy takes off their seatbelts and goes to get out of the car, but Ava stops them. "Please, no. If our parents see you, they'll be so embarrassed."

"Did Henry tell you about my superpower?" Emma asks.

"We just met him." Ava says.

"I have the ability to tell when anyone is lying. Tell me the truth – money problems aside, is everything okay at home?" Emma says.

Ava nods, "Yeah, we're great. Can we go?"

Emma looks to Buffy who nods, "Alright."

Ava and Nicholas get out of the car with a bag of stuff and go up the stairs of the house. They stop at the front door, turn around, and wave at Emma and Buffy as they drive off.

"They're gone. We're good." Ava says as they don't go inside the house, and instead go back down the stairs.

They go around back, where they jump a fence. They end up behind an abandoned house, which they enter through the basement. Inside, Ava unpacks the things they picked up from store and Nicholas sits on the bed. Suddenly, they hear a noise coming from upstairs. When they go to investigate, they end up finding Buffy and Emma.

"Why'd you guys lie to us? Where are your parents?" Buffy asks.

"We don't have any." Ava says.

Later at Mary Margaret's apartment, Ava and Nicholas are eating at the table, while Buffy, Emma and Mary Margaret talk off to the side.

Emma is holding a file about the kids. "Do you know them? Do they go to your school?"

"I've seen them, but… I had no idea. None of us did." Mary Margaret says.

Emma opens the file she's holding. "Ava and Nicholas Zimmer. They said their mother was a woman named Dory Zimmer. She died a few years ago. No one seems to know her or remember her."

"And the father?" Mary Margaret asks.

Buffy sighs, "There isn't one. At least not one that they know."

"What does, uh… What does Social Services say?" Mary Margaret says as Emma gives her a look. "You two didn't report them."

"We report them, we can't help them. They go into the system." Emma says.

"The system that's supposed to help." Mary Margaret says.

Buffy sighs, "Four years ago my mom died. The only options were either my sister stay with me, go into the system or go to our father. Our father was out of the question as we had no idea where he was. He literally disappeared; we couldn't even find him to tell him our mom had passed away. That left putting her into foster care or staying with me. Foster care would have meant splitting us up. Something neither Dawn nor I were comfortable with. And that is the possibility of what could happen here. They could be separated."

"Yeah, the system I knew and was in for sixteen years. Do you know what happens? They get thrown into homes where they are a meal ticket – nothing more. These families get paid for these kids and as soon as they're too much work, they get tossed out and it all starts over again."

"But they're not all like that." Mary Margaret. "And maybe they won't be separated."

"All the ones I was in." Emma said.

"It depends on the foster home they are placed in." Buffy says. "If the foster home can only take care of one of them they might be split up."

"What? We're just going to adopt them?" Mary Margaret asks Emma.

Emma shakes her head, "Buffy and I want to look for their father. They don't know him. He may not know they exist."

"And you think if he knows, he'll want them?" Mary Margaret asks.

Buffy shrugs, "I don't know."

"I don't know either. But what I do know is its hard enough finding foster families to take one kid that isn't theirs, let alone two. It's their best shot, or-" Emma says.

Ava, who was eavesdropping, interrupts. She is in tears. "We're going to be separated?"

"No. That's not going to happen." Buffy says.

"Please – please don't let it." Ava says.

In Regina's office, Faith knocks on the door. Regina looks up and smiles, "Hello Ms. Lehane. What can I do for you?"

"I thought I would get to know my neighbor, who just happens to be the Mayor." Faith said.

"Of course Ms. Lehane. Why don't you have a seat?" Regina said as she looked at Faith. She wondered if Faith knew who she was or not. She wanted to tell Faith about who she was but she wasn't sure how her daughter would take it. "So what would you like to know?"

"Well first you can call me, Faith. Ms. Lehane was the sorry excuse for a woman that adopted me." Faith said.

Regina nodded, "Alright, Faith. May I ask you a couple things?"

"Sure." Faith said.

"When you, Ms. Summers and her sister arrived here. I admit that I had you three checked out." Regina said.

"We know you did." Faith said. "Our employer called to let us know someone probed my police records. I assume you want to know why I ended up in jail?" Regina nods. "It's a long story. And to tell the truth one I'm not ready to discuss with you just yet."

"Fair enough." Regina said. "Ask anything you want and if I can answer I will. There are some things that I'm afraid I can't answer. Like yourself I just am not ready to yet."

"Of course." Faith said and she started asking question of Regina. Who she was. How she adopted Henry. The false allegations that Regina had made against Buffy, Faith and Dawn when they first arrived.

"You have to remember. I didn't know you at that time. And well you and Deputy Summers both have checkered pasts. Deputy Summers had been reported burning down a gym and then later an entire school. No charges were pressed for either incident. Just like when she became the prime suspect in the murder of a teenage girl." Regina said.

"I'll let B fill you in on most of that stuff when she's ready. But what I know of the incidents in question she was innocent of all crimes. In fact the murder you speak of was a friend of hers who had been killed by escaped mental patient." Faith said.

Regina nods. "Then there is the fact you did go to jail for two years. So you see the reason behind the false allegations. You and Deputy Summers were not someone I wanted in my town."

"Understandable. Of course we stayed anyways." Faith said.

"Yes you did." Regina said.

At that same time Buffy and Emma enters the office of Mr. Krzyszkowski.

"Excuse me. Mr…Krzyszkowski?" Emma says.

Mr. Krzyszkowski nds, "Yeah, it's Krzyszkowski. Everyone calls me K."

"Mr. K. I am Sheriff Swan. And this is Deputy Summers We're hoping to look at the birth certificates of Ava and Nicholas Zimmer." Emma says.

Mr. Krzyszkowski nods, "Alright, just, uh, fill out this form – in triplicate." He pulls out three identical forms.

Emma nods, "Okay." She starts to fill out the forms, while Mr. Krzyszkowski looks through a filing cabinet.

Mr. Krzyszkowski frowns, "I'm so sorry. Those documents have been recently removed."

"By who?" Buffy asks.

Later Emma and Buffy confront Regina in Regina's office. Faith is there as well.

Buffy looks towards Faith as if to ask why are you here?

"Don't worry, Miss Swan. You can relax. I've contacted Social Services. Turns out these kids are on their own. They need help." Regina says.

"Which is exactly what we're trying to do. We're trying to find their father." Emma says.

"Well, he doesn't exist." Regina says as she hands Emma a file.

Buffy shakes her head, "He has to."

Emma opens the file. The Father section of the birth certificate only has 'Unknown' written in it.

"Well, of course, biologically, he exists. But there's no record of him. Which means we have no choice – these children need a home, so they will be put into the foster system." Regina says.

"Storybrooke has a foster system?" Emma asks.

Regina shakes her head, "No, but I've contacted the state. Maine's group homes, unfortunately, are filled. But they put us in touch with two homes in Boston – a boy's home and a girl's."

"They're separating them?" Buffy asks.

Regina looks to Buffy and sighs, "I don't like it, either. But we've got no choice. Sherriff you need to have them in Boston tonight."

"Me?" Emma asks.

"Well, you wanted to be Sheriff. This is what sheriffs do. Yes, you're taking them." Regina says.

"No. Emma and I promised them they wouldn't be separated." Buffy said.

"Well then, perhaps Miss Summers you and Miss Swan should stop making promises you can't keep. These children need a home. I'm just trying to find the best one."

Moments later after Emma and Buffy have left. "Where were we, Faith?" Regina says.

Later Buffy and Emma are in Emma's office at the station. Emma has a pile of files and papers on her desk, which she's sorting through.

Henry, who has his book with him, enters the room. "Any luck?"

Emma shakes her head, "No."

Henry puts the book on the desk and flips through it. "I know who they are. They're brother and sister, lost, no parents – Hansel and Gretel."

"Anything in there about the dad?" Buffy asks.

Henry shakes his head, "Just that he abandoned them."

"Great. Sounds like a familiar story. Whoever this guy is, he could be in Laos by now." Emma says.

Henry shakes his head, "No, he's here."

"Just how do you know that?" Emma asks.

"Cause no one leaves Storybrooke. No one comes here, no one goes. It's just the way it is." Henry said.

"Buffy, Dawn, Faith and I came here." Emma says.

Henry nods, "Because you four are special. You four are the first strangers here – ever."

"Right – I forgot. Well, if he's around here anywhere, Buffy and I are going to find him." Emma says.

"Can you tell me about him?" Henry asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "We don't know anything yet."

Henry sighs, "Not their father – mine." He looks to Emma. "I told you about your parents and now, you're even living with your mom."

"Mary Margaret isn't… She's… Never mind." Emma says.

"Please?" Henry asks.

Emma sighs, "I was pretty young. I'd just gotten out of the foster system and the only job I could get was at this twenty four hour diner just off the interstate. And, um… Your dad was training to be a fireman. He always got the worst shifts, so he'd come in and order coffee and pie and sit at the counter and always complain that we didn't sell pumpkin pie. But he always came back the next night anyway."

"Did you get married?" Henry asks.

Emma shakes her head, "Oh, no. Nothing like that. We just… We hung out a few times outside of work and…life happened. His got better and mine got worse and… I got into some trouble."

"And you went to jail." Henry said.

Emma nods, "Yeah. Before I went, I… I found out I was pregnant with you. And I tried to contact him, and I found out that he died saving a family from a burning apartment building. So, you think I'm a savior, Henry – he was. Your father was a real hero."

"Do you have anything of his? Something you can remember him by. Something I could see." Henry says.

Emma shakes her head, "I… I don't. Henry, I'm sorry. I got to go. I may know how to find this guy."

After Henry has left Buffy looks to Emma, "What you told him wasn't the truth was it?"

Emma looks to her friend and shakes her head, "No. But the truth would be worse. His father is the reason I went to jail."


	17. Chapter 17: True North Pt 2

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 17: True North Pt. 2**

At Mary Margaret's Ava and Nicholas are eating cookies. Emma comes downstairs with a box. Buffy watches from a corner of the room.

"I want to show you guys something." Emma says as she pulls a blanket out of the box.

"What's that?" Nicholas asks.

"It's my baby blanket. It's something I've held onto my whole life. That's the only thing that I have from… From my parents. I've spent a lot of time with a lot of kids in your situation, and all of them – all of us – we held onto stuff. I want to find your father, but I need your help. Is there anything of his you've held onto?" Emma says.

"I might have something. But if I give it to you, you'll make sure we stay together, right?" Ava says.

Emma nods, "Right." Ava pulls a compass on a chain out of her pocket and hands it to Emma. "A compass."

"Our mom kept it. She said it was our dad's." Ava said.

Emma smiles, "Thank you."

"Did you find them?" Ava asks.

"Who?" Emma asks.

"Your parents." Ava said.

Emma shakes her head, "Not yet. But Buffy and I are going to find yours."

Later Buffy and Emma enters Mr. Gold's pawn shop. Mr. Gold is at the counter polishing a lamp. "Emma. Buffy. How lovely to see you both. I'm flattered you'd both take time off your busy schedules for me. What could I do for you, Sheriff? Deputy?"

"We're looking for information on this old compass. Any idea where it could have come from?" Emma says.

"Well, well. Look at the detail. You know, this is crystal. This jeweled setting… In despite the rather unfortunate shape it's in, this is actually a very unusual piece. The person who owned this obviously had great taste." Mr. Gold says.

Buffy nods, "And where would someone like that buy it?"

"Right here, of course." Mr. Gold says.

"You know him?" Emma asks.

Mr. Gold nods, "Indeed. A piece like this is difficult to forget."

"Do you happen to remember who bought it?" Buffy asks.

Mr. Gold smiles, "Well, I'm good with names, Miss Summers, but maybe not that good. However, as luck would have it, I do keep quite extensive records." He walks over to a small filing cabinet on the counter and looks through it. "And… Yes, here we are." He pulls out an index card. However, he doesn't read it.

"What's your price?" Emma asks.

"Forgiveness." Mr. Gold says.

Emma shakes her head, "How about tolerance?"

"Well, that's a start. The compass was purchased by a Mr. Michael Tillman." Mr. Gold says.

"Anything else?" Buffy asks.

"Just a name. But I generally find that's all that one needs." Mr. Gold says.

Buffy and Emma goes to leave the shop.

"Good luck with your investigation." Mr. Gold says.

Later Buffy and Emma has found Michael at a garage, where he works as a mechanic. He reads the kids' file and looks at their pictures.

"Not possible." Michael says.

"Actually, it is." Emma says.

"Well, I'm sorry, but Dory – she wasn't my, um… It was just once." Michael says.

"Sometimes, that's all it takes." Buffy says.

"I met her when I was camping and we, um… No. It's not possible. I don't have twins." Michael says.

Emma nods, "Yes, you do. You have twins that have been homeless ever since their mother passed away. You have twins who have been living in an abandoned house because they don't want to be separated from each other. You have twins who are about to be shipped off to Boston, unless you step up and take responsibility for them."

"Look – I can barely manage this garage. I can't manage two kids. And why are you so sure they're mine?" Michael says.

"Besides the timing…" Buffy says as she pulls out the compass. "Have you ever seen this?"

"I lost this." Michael says.

"Let me guess – twelve years and nine months ago? I know it's a lot – believe me, I know. A month ago, a kid showed up on my doorstep – I gave up for adoption – asking for help with…something. And I ended up moving here for him." Emma says.

Michael nods, "I heard about that – it's the Mayor's son. But staying in town is… It's a lot different than taking him in."

"I don't have my kid because I don't have a choice. You do. Those kids did not ask to be brought into this world. You brought them into this world – you and their mother. And they need you. And if you choose not to take them, you are going to have to answer for that every day of your life. And sooner or later, when they find you – because believe me, they will find you – you're going to have to answer to them." Emma says.

"I'm really sorry. I am. I don't know anything about being a dad. If it's a good home you're looking for, it's not with me." Michael says.

Henry, Ava and Nicholas are baking at Mary Margaret's. The phone rings and Mary Margaret answers it. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me. I need you to come outside right away." Emma says.

"Is everything okay?" Mary Margaret asks.

"Don't say anything in front of the kids, but no, it's not." Emma says.

Moments later Buffy, Emma and Mary Margaret meet outside.

"He doesn't want the kids." Buffy says.

"And you two don't want to tell them." Mary Margaret says.

Emma shakes her head, "I can't. Because all we'll be telling them is that the false hope we gave them is exactly that."

Mary Margaret sighs, "The truth can be painful, Emma, Buffy, but it can also be cathartic."

"I agree with the painful part." Emma says.

"Well, hey, look – you told Henry the truth that his father's dead and he's handling it great." Mary Margaret says.

"No she didn't." Buffy says.

"What?" Mary Margaret asks.

Emma sighs, "As I told Buffy earlier after Henry left. Henry's father was no hero and trust me – he does not need to know the real story. Maybe we can hide the kids. Just until we can find a family for them. Someone to take care of them."

"Yes, hiding the twelve year olds is a good plan." Mary Margaret says.

"You have a better idea?" Emma asks.

Mary Margaret sighs, "Emma, maybe there isn't an idea. Maybe you just have to-"

Regina and Faith approaches the three on the sidewalk.

"Sheriff. Shouldn't you be on the interstate?" Regina asks.

"What are you doing here?" Emma says.

"Seeing to it that you do your job." Regina says.

Buffy shakes her head, "You know, you don't have to check up on us. Emma knows what she has to do. And so do I."

"Really? Because those kids are supposed to be in Boston tonight." Regina says.

Later Buffy, Emma, Ava, and Nicholas are next to Emma's squad car, while Faith, Regina and Henry watch from a distance.

Emma opens the door to the car and gestures for Ava and Nicholas to get in. "Come on. It's going to be… Here." She gives Ava back her compass. "I'm sorry, but we got to go."

Ava and Nicholas get in the car.

"Let's go, Henry." Regina says as she puts her hand on Henry's shoulder, but he shrugs her off and runs over to Emma's window.

"No, you can't take them! They can't leave Storybrooke, Emma! They can't. Something bad will happen." Henry says.

"Something bad has already happened." Buffy says.

Buffy, Emma and the kids drive off.

Later Emma, Ava, and Nicholas are driving along the road that leads out of Storybrooke. Suddenly, the car starts slowing and the engine starts malfunctioning. They pull off on the side of the road.

"You've got to be kidding me." Emma says.

"What happened? What's wrong?" Ava asks.

"Engine's stalled." Emma says.

"Who are you calling?" Ava asks.

"Help." Emma says.

Later Buffy and Emma is waiting for help outside of the squad car, while Ava and Nicholas sit in the back seat.

"Nicholas, look!" Ava says.

The compass moves and appears to be working again. A tow truck pulls over to assist them. The driver, who ends up being Michael, gets out of the truck. He sees Ava and Nicholas, who are looking out the back window of the car.

"Those are them." Michael says.

Buffy nods, "Those are them."

"And your car – it's fine?" Michael asks.

Emma nods, "I just wanted you to see 'em. Just once. I didn't think I could do it, either. I gave up Henry because I wanted to give him his best shot. When I saw that he didn't have it, I couldn't leave. I was just as scared – more, probably. But once I saw him, got to know him, I couldn't go back.

"You're taking them? To Boston." Michael says.

"We don't have to." Buffy says.

Michael nods, "No, you don't." He walks up to the side of the car, where they roll down the window. A few minutes later Ava and Nicholas leave with Michael.

That evening at the Summers/Lehane mansion Faith walks in the front door.

"Faith?" Buffy asks.

"Yeah, B." Faith says as Buffy comes out of the living room.

"Why were you with the Mayor, today?"

"Just thought I would get to know our neighbor is all. She's not a bad person if you get to know her." Faith said.

That night Regina is sleeping…

_"Look, I hate asking for help. But I'm asking. 'Cause I... I'm in trouble. Like the real kind." Faith said._

_"It's okay." Angel replied._

_Faith shook her head, "Nah, it's... a couple of county lines over from okay, believe me."_

_"I believe you." Angel says as he lets her in. She sits on the bed, eyes staring forward, in her own world of fear. "Just talk. Start at the beginning."_

_"Mind if I skip past the "Mom never loved me" part and get right to it? I'm scaring myself." Faith said._

_"I know the feeling." Angel says._

_Faith sighs, "That's why I came to you. I don't want to get all twelve-steppy, but remember, you told me that killing people'd make me feel like some kind of God?" Angel nods. Faith shows him her hands. Blood. "Think I just came down to Earth." Angel examines her hands, concerned. "It's not human, if that's what you're thinking. Not that that makes me feel any better. Or this guy any less dead."_

_"Faith. You need help. And you can't do it alone." Angel says._

_Faith nods, "I know. For real now, I'm scared. Scared of what I am, what I'm turning into. Cold blooded, straight-up killer."_

Regina sits up in bed and lets out a sigh, "My poor darling. Is that why your sister stabbed you? Because she had to stop what you might have been becoming?"


	18. Chapter 18: 7:15 AM

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

On Faith yes I know she has been a minor character for most of the story when she should have been a major character. I've just had problems with finding a place for her in the individual chapters, that's why they have been Buffy and Dawn centric. I'm going to try and make up for it in chapter 22 on (that's the first chapter that has yet to be written.)

* * *

**Chapter 18: 7:15 A.M.**

Buffy and Faith are eating breakfast as Dawn scrambles to get ready. A television airing the weather is on in the background.

"I can't believe I overslept." Dawn says.

"It's only seven ten." Buffy says. "You've got plenty of time to get to school."

"No, I have to be there at seven fifteen – science fair." Dawn says. "Mary Margaret and I are helping the kids with their project before school."

"I'm sure if you're five minutes late they'll live." Faith says.

"We're making a volcano." Dawn says and she leaves.

Buffy shakes her head, "Okay."

Dawn and Mary Margaret arrive at Granny's Diner.

Dawn smiles, "Good luck. If you need anything remember I'll be on the other side of the diner."

"Thanks, Dawn." Mary Margaret says as she sits at one of the tables, takes out a book, and fixes her hair in a spoon's reflection. At seven fifteen, David enters the diner and walks up to the counter.

Ruby serves David two coffees, "One cream and sugar, one black."

"Thank you." David says as he takes the coffees and notices Mary Margaret sitting behind him.

"Good morning." David says.

"Morning!" Mary Margaret says.

"I-I… I should go. I'm going to be late for work." David says.

"Oh, the animal shelter, right? How's that going?" Mary Margaret says.

"Well, the apes haven't taken over." David says.

Mary Margaret smiles, "Yet."

David shakes his head, "Not on my watch." He leaves as Dawn walks over. She sees him meet Kathryn at their car, where he gives her the coffee and a kiss on the cheek.

Buffy and Emma comes out of the back room.

"This is making a volcano?" Emma asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "Dawn you didn't have to lie you know."

"I was-"

"I get it." Emma says.

"Buffy, Mary Margaret is my friend. I'm not going to be there to support her in any way I can."

"I know, Dawnie. I'm not mad." Buffy says.

"He comes here every morning at seven fifteen a.m. to get coffee." Mary Margaret says.

"For him and his wife." Emma says.

"I know, I know, I know. I just like to…come here to see him." Mary Margaret says.

"So you're a stalker?" Buffy asks. "And you're helping her Dawn?"

Mary Margaret shakes her head, "No, not really… Maybe a little bit. I mean, it's not like I'm following him. I just know that he spends his mornings with Kathryn, gets coffee, then drives to the animal shelter to start work at seven thirty and then he's home around five."

Dawn smiles and leans in to whisper to Buffy so Emma and Mary Margaret don't here, "We both know this is Snow. And David is Charming. Which means they are supposed to be together."

"Oh, is that all?" Emma asks.

Buffy nods and whispers back to Dawn, "I know. But I can't say that out loud now can I?"

"Thursdays they pick up Chinese for dinner. I can't get him out of my head." Mary Margaret says.

Emma nods, "I know. Maybe the first step is not showing up here tomorrow."

"Love's the worst. I wish there was a magic cure." Mary Margaret says.

Later Dawn is shopping with Mary Margaret, when they bump into Kathryn. Regina is also in the same aisle.

"I'm so sorry!" Mary Margaret says.

Kathryn shakes her head, "It's fine. Don't worry about it."

"I wasn't looking." Mary Margaret says.

Regina nods, "Clearly."

"What's your deal Madam Mayor? Do you have it out for everyone in this town? Or is it just the people Buffy, Emma and I are friends with?" Dawn says.

"Oh, is this yours?" Kathryn asks as she hands Mary Margaret a chocolate bar.

"Um, yes, thank you. Um, this must…" Mary Margaret says as she picks up a pregnancy test. She hands it to Kathryn. "Good luck."

"Thank you." Kathryn says as she walks away, leaving Regina, Dawn and Mary Margaret alone.

"I trust you two will be discrete? Their lives are their business – not yours." Regina says.

"Of course," Dawn says.

Later Dawn and Mary Margaret are walking along a gravel road through the forest. They hear a cooing noise coming from the slope on the edge of the road.

Mary Margaret slides down the incline and finds a dove trapped in some plastic netting. "Oh, hey. How did you manage to get yourself… Come on – it's going to be okay." She frees the dove and takes it with her as Dawn reaches down to help Mary Margaret back up the slope.

At the animal shelter, Dawn and Mary Margaret are talking to the vet. David is standing off to the side.

"Well, the good news is, no broken bones. She was just a little dehydrated, but I got her some fluids and she should be just fine." Vet says.

"And the bad news?" Mary Margaret asks.

"Well, this is a north Atlantic dove. It's a migratory species. Very unique among American doves. They tend to form strong, monogamous bonds, meaning-" Vet says.

"If we don't get her back to her flock, she'll be alone forever." Dawn says.

The Vet nods, "Well, it's a long shot, but the alternative…" He puts the dove into a cage. "She'll heal, but she won't be happy here."

"We'll take our chances. Thank you, Doctor." Mary Margaret says.

Vet nods, "You're welcome. Good luck." He turns and leaves.

Mary Margaret takes the dove's cage and she and Dawn goes to leave.

"Mary Margaret… Dawn, there's a storm coming. You two really shouldn't go out there." David says.

"Well, the storm's coming tomorrow. If we wait, she could be lost forever. Completely alone. No one deserves that." Dawn says as she looks to Mary Margaret.

"Then let me drive you two." David says.

Mary Margaret shakes her head, "We don't need your help, David. We'll be fine."

Across town Buffy and Emma are loading storm supplies into the trunk of their squad cars as Regina walks up to them.

"If you're looking to blame us for the storm, I think you're taking things a bit far now." Emma says.

Regina shakes her head, "I need you two to look into something, Sheriff. Someone's in town – someone new."

"Yeah, I know. I gave him directions to Granny's the other night." Emma said.

Regina frowns, "You talked to him? What'd he say?"

"He asked for directions. What's the big deal? Who is he?" Emma asks.

Regina shrugs, "I don't know. I asked around, but no one seems to know anything. There's something about him. Something familiar."

"He must be one of the untold millions you cursed." Emma said.

"What?" Regina asks.

"Oh, you know. The curse. Henry's whole thing." Emma says.

Regina shakes her head, "Sheriff, I need you and Deputy Summers to find out who he is, what he wants and what he's doing here."

"You know, as hard as you tried to find one in mine or Buffy's cases, there is no law against visiting Storybrooke." Emma says.

"This isn't about the law, Miss Swan. You and Deputy Summers are going to do this because I asked you to. And because you'll see it's the right thing to do." Regina said.

"And why is that?" Buffy asks.

"Because he was in front of our houses, Miss Summers. And he was taking a particular interest in the one thing Miss Swan and I both care about – Henry." Regina said.

"I care about my nephew," Buffy muttered to herself.

Regina looked to Buffy. It was almost too low for her to hear but hear she did. Regina was certain that Buffy knew Henry was Snow White's grandchild.

"We'll look into him." Emma says.

Dawn and Mary Margaret are driving along the same gravel road where they found the dove. They have the dove in its cage on the seat between them. Thunder can be heard in the distance. Up ahead they see a 'Road Closed' sign.

"Well, the flock can't be much farther. We just have to beat the storm. They're waiting for you." Mary Margaret says.

Dawn takes the dove's cage and gets out of the car with Mary Margaret. They set out on foot along the road. The storm can still be heard in the distance.

"Do you hear that? Your flock!" Mary Margaret says as she looks over the edge of the road.

Dawn puts down the dove's cage as Mary Margaret goes closer to the slope. Thunder clashes and Mary Margaret ends up falling down the incline and over the side of a cliff.

"Mary Margaret!" Dawn says.

Mary Margaret grabs onto a branch and dangles over the river below. She attempts to crawl up, but ends up falling farther down.

David comes running up to Dawn as she kneels down to reach out to Mary Margaret.

"Mary Margaret, here." Dawn says as she holds out her hand.

David kneels down next to Dawn and holds out his hand also, "Here!"

"David!" Mary Margaret says.

"Grab our hands!" David says as Mary Margaret grabs David and Dawn's hands. "Hold tight! Come on." He and Dawn pull Mary Margaret to safety. "You'd really think I'd let you two come out here alone? You okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine, thanks." Mary Margaret says as she walks up the incline and back towards where Dawn left the dove. Dawn and David follows her.

"Where are you going?" David asks.

"Dawn and I came to find the flock." Mary Margaret says.

David shakes his head, "And I came here to get you both before you got hurt. We have to go."

A torrential rainfall starts as they find the dove's cage.

"No." Mary Margaret says.

"Mary Margaret he has a point. Doing this on foot in the middle of a rain storm is not the best plan."

"The gate was closed." Mary Margaret says. "Or did you forget that Dawn?"

Dawn sighs, "I didn't forget. We have to go."

"No! But the fl-" Mary Margaret says.

David shakes his head, "Mary Margaret, it's not safe. We need to get out of here. Come on!"

Mary Margaret agrees and the three of them run to find shelter.

"There!" David says as he points to a cabin in the woods. "Come on!"

They run to the front door and look in the window.

"Hello? Hello, is anyone in there? It's empty." Mary Margaret says.

David kicks in the door and the three of them rush into the cabin. He gets a fire going in the fireplace. "Okay, let's get you two dry."

"Whose cabin is this? Are you sure it's okay for us to be in here?" Mary Margaret says.

"Well, you're roommates with the Sheriff and Dawn here is the Deputy's sister, so I doubt they'll arrest us for breaking and entering. Here." David says as he puts a blanket over Mary Margaret's shoulders, but she shrugs it off.

"Hey, I'm just… I'm just trying to help. What's going on with you today?" David says.

Dawn picks up the blanket and puts it back on Mary Margaret's shoulders. She then goes to find one of her own.

"What's going on? 'What's going on' is I still have feelings for you." Mary Margaret says.

"What?" David asks.

"Why do you think I go to Granny's every morning at seven fifteen? It's to see you. I don't even know why, because it just makes me miserable. Because every time I see you, it just reminds me that you chose Kathryn instead of me. And that's why I didn't want you to come to the woods with me. Because being around you is too… It's too painful." Mary Margaret says as David laughs. "You think this is funny."

David shakes his head, "No. No, it's just… The reason I go to Granny's every morning at seven fifteen is to see you."

David and Mary Margaret slowly lean in for a kiss as Dawn walks back with a blanket draped around her shoulders. "Oops maybe this wasn't the best time."

Mary Margaret pulls back, neither she nor David have noticed Dawn has returned. "How can you do this?"

"What are you talking about?" David asks.

"David, I know." Mary Margaret says.

"Mary Margaret, no. It's none of our business. He should hear about it from his wife." Dawn said.

"What is it you two know? David asks.

Mary Margaret sighs, "About Kathryn."

"What about Kathryn?" David asks.

"Mary Margaret…" Dawn says.

"That she thinks she's pregnant." Mary Margaret says.

David looks at Mary Margaret and then Dawn in shock, "What?"

Buffy and Emma walks into Granny's Diner to get out of the storm. They see the Stranger Regina mentioned sitting at one of the booths by himself, with the box from the back of his motorcycle sitting under the table.

"We need to talk." Emma says as they walk over to the man.

"Why?" He asks.

"Because you're suspicious." Emma says.

"Sitting here, out in the open, drinking coffee. I wonder what kind of hell I would've raised had I ordered a donut." He says.

Emma shakes her head, "You were talking to Henry."

"You mean the little kid who came up to me asking me questions? Is that unusual for him? Being curious and precocious?" He asks.

Buffy frowns, "What were you doing outside his house?"

"My bike broke down. It happens." He said.

"Your mysterious box – what's in it?" Emma asks.

"It's awfully frustrating not knowing, isn't it?" He says.

Buffy frowns, "Just tell us."

"Why? Is it illegal to carry around a box in these parts?" He asks.

Emma shakes her head, "No, of course it's not."

"You two really want to know what's inside it, don't you?" He asks.

Emma looks to Buffy who shrugs, "No. Well, maybe."

"I'm going to make you two wait. You're going to have to wait a long time and watch me carry it around. Hauling it to strange and mysterious places. And with each passing moment, the mystery will become more tantalizing. Your imaginations will inflame, but so will your frustration. Never knowing – only guessing – what could possibly be inside that box? Or, either of you could let me buy you a drink sometime and I'll tell you right now."

"You want to buy us a drink?" Buffy asks.

"Yes." He says.

"Okay. A drink it is." Emma says.

"Sure why not." Buffy says.

He takes the box from underneath the booth and puts it on the table. He unlocks it and opens it up, revealing a typewriter.

"Really?" Emma asks.

"I'm a writer." He says.

"That's why you're here?" Buffy asks.

"I find this place provides…inspiration. Don't you?" He says and closes the box and locks it back up. He gets up from the booth.

"Wait. Have you been here before?" Emma asks.

He shakes his head, "I didn't say that." He goes to leave.

"What about that drink?" Emma asks.

He smiles, "I said sometime."

Dawn, Mary Margaret and David are still at the cabin.

"You didn't know." Mary Margaret says.

David shakes his head, "No."

"This is why it was none of our business." Dawn says.

"And you two aren't trying?" Mary Margaret asks.

David shakes his head, "Not as far as I know. Mary Margaret, you have to believe me. I-"

The sound of birds chirping can be heard outside.

"Shh. The rain stopped. We need to get her out." Mary Margaret says.

"No, Mary Margaret-" David says.

Mary Margaret picks up the dove's cage and goes out the door. Dawn and David follows her.

"Mary Margaret, please. Can we at least talk-"

"Shh. Listen." Mary Margaret says.

Dawn nods, "I hear it."

A cooing noise is heard in the forest. They look up and see several doves flying above them.

"The flock – it didn't leave!" Mary Margaret says.

David nods, "They must've been waiting for the storm to clear."

Mary Margaret sets the dove's cage on the ground and lifts the dove out. "Okay. Okay, girl. Time to join your friends. You can do it." She releases the dove and it flies off to join its flock.

David reaches for Mary Margaret's hand.

"No, David. It's too painful." Mary Margaret says.

"Uh I think I'll go wait over there." Dawn says as she points back at the cabin. She turns and leaves them alone.

"It doesn't have to be. We don't know if Kathryn's pregnant." David says.

"It doesn't matter. You chose her." Mary Margaret says.

David nods, "I know, but I still have feelings for you."

"You can't have both." Mary Margaret says.

"But I do have both. I know… I know it doesn't make sense, but it's like I have these two conflicting lives. Memories of feelings for her and real feelings for you." David says.

"Who's to say which is real?" Mary Margaret asks.

David sighs, "I can't get you out of my head."

"I know, me too. But we're going to have to. We're just going to have to forget each other." Mary Margaret says.

Buffy, Dawn and Faith are sitting at the kitchen table at the Summers/Lehane mansion the next morning. Dawn looks at the clock and notices it reads 7:15.

"You want to go be there for here?" Buffy asks.

Dawn shakes her head, "She said she wasn't going."

Buffy nods, "Well I think I will go over to the diner anyways. Faith how about you?"

Faith nods, "Sure why not. I could use some time out of this house. I really need to find me a job you know."

At about 7:45 a.m. Buffy, Dawn and Faith enter Granny's Diner and see that Mary Margaret is there, where Ruby serves her a coffee at the counter.

Buffy, Dawn and Faith move towards a booth as David enters the diner.

David's stunned for a moment, due to seeing Mary Margaret there, and then quickly exits.

Mary Margaret follows him outside. Buffy, Faith and Dawn follow them to the door, out of sight of Mary Margaret and David.

"What are you doing here?" Mary Margaret asks.

"It's seven forty-five." David says.

"I know!" Mary Margaret says.

"Well, I'm trying not to see you." David says.

"Well, I am trying not to see you." Mary Margaret says.

David nods, "Well, how do we stop seeing each other?"

"Apparently, we can't." Mary Margaret says.

David nods, "This is a problem."

Mary Margaret sighs, "Yes."

"She's not pregnant." David says as he kisses Mary Margaret.

Buffy and Dawn smiles.


	19. Chapter 19: Fruit of the Poisonous Tree

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 19: Fruit of the Poisonous Tree **

Henry is on his bike, heading towards the castle playground. Buffy and Emma are already waiting there in Emma's squad car. When they see Henry get closer, they get out to greet him.

"Hey, kid." Emma says.

"Hey, Henry." Buffy says.

Henry rides past them.

"Nice to see you, too." Emma says as they catch up with him.

The playground is noticeably damaged.

"The storm!" Henry says.

"It's okay – we can fix it. I'll talk to Marco." Emma says.

"I have a friend I can call in. He could be here tomorrow. He can help fix everything also." Buffy said. "Just give the word. And I'll make the call."

"Do you think it's still here?" Henry asks as he starts to dig in the sand near the base of the playground.

"What are you looking for?" Emma asks.

"My book." Henry says.

"Why'd you bury it here?" Buffy asks.

"So my mom doesn't find it." Henry says.

"Hiding it under your mattress wasn't good enough?" Emma asks.

Henry uncovers red metal box under the sand and starts to unlock it. "That's the first place the Evil Queen would look."

"How about leaving it with me?" Emma asks.

"That's the second place." Henry said.

"I'm guess with me, would be number three?" Buffy asked.

Henry nodded, "Yeah. By the way Aunt Elizabeth. Mom knows that you know. That I'm your nephew." He opens the box, revealing the book inside. "It's still here. Good."

"Great she knows, hunh. I need to be more careful." Buffy says.

"So, your mom doesn't know about the castle?" Emma asks.

Henry shakes his head, "No. This is our secret." He closes and relocks the box, then starts to rebury it.

Behind them, Regina arrives and calls out to Henry. "Henry! Henry! I've been looking everywhere for you. You know you have a session with Archie this morning. I should've known he was with you. Henry – car. Now."

Henry runs off, leaving Regina, Buffy and Emma alone.

"You let him play here?" Regina asks.

"The storm hit it hard, but we can fix it." Emma says.

"Well, can you fix a cracked cranium? Because that's what you'll have on your hands if one of these boards collapses under his weight. You're not thinking about Henry or his safety. Just ways around me. Miss Swan, don't let your feelings cloud your judgment. People can get hurt." Regina says.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Buffy asks.

"She's the Sheriff and you're the Deputy now – it's time to be responsible." Regina says.

Later Buffy, Dawn, Emma and Mary Margaret are eating at Granny's Diner.

"Don't let my feelings cloud my judgment? That's all Regina ever does." Emma says.

"Well, she's just upset because you and Henry have a special place and she… She doesn't." Mary Margaret says.

Dawn nods, "Mary Margaret's right. She's jealous of your relationship with Henry."

"How'd she find out about the castle in the first place?" Emma asks.

"She knows everything about this town – she's the Mayor." Mary Margaret says.

Mary Margaret's phone vibrates. She sees a text from David that reads 'We need to talk. Meet at our spot.'

"Everything okay?" Emma asks.

Mary Margaret nods, "Yeah, I just need to go. Look, if it makes you feel any better, I think you're right. I see the effect she has on Henry. Dawn can I get a ride?"

"I wish everyone else did, too. Well everyone other than just you guys." Emma says looking to the Summers sisters.

Mary Margaret puts on her jacket as she and Dawn leaves.

Sidney then sits down with Emma and Buffy with a mostly empty glass of whiskey.

"I can grant your wish." Sidney says.

"Wow. Sidney. You want a side of bacon with that whiskey?" Emma asks.

"You want to show this town who the Mayor really is? I can help." Sidney says.

"That's going to be kind of hard to do from inside her pocket." Buffy says. "We know it was you at her request that pulled Faith's police record. A record I might add that was sealed by court order. Which means by pulling said record you committed an illegal act."

"The Mayor and I are done." Sidney says.

"Sure you are." Emma says.

"She got me fired from the paper. She made a fool of me in the election. So I started working on an exposé on the Mayor's office, and I found something she didn't want found." Sidney says.

"Sidney, you're drunk. Go home – sleep it off. Be grateful that you don't have to answer to her anymore." Emma says.

Sidney pulls a business card out of his pocket. "Call me. Storybrooke deserves to know the truth about her."

Emma takes his business card and she and Buffy leave.

Henry is watching a construction team tear down the castle playground. Regina is off to the side, talking to a group of construction workers. Emma and Buffy arrives and joins Henry.

"Hey, what happened? I came as soon as I could." Emma says.

"The castle! She's tearing the whole thing down! My book! It-it's gone." Henry says.

Emma approaches Regina to confront her. "Congratulations, Madam Mayor. You destroyed the thing he loves."

"A dangerous thing that can only hurt Henry and others. You see me as a villain, Miss Swan, but that's just your perception and you're wrong. Learn your place in this town or, soon enough, you won't be in it." Regina says.

Dawn joins Buffy and Henry, "What's going on?"

"Regina is tearing down Henry's castle." Buffy said.

Regina turns and walks past Henry, Buffy and Dawn. She looks to the sisters and Dawn sees something in Regina's eyes. A flash of recognition before it's gone.

"So did you get Mary Margaret dropped off?" Buffy asks.

Dawn simply nods.

Emma walks back over to Buffy as she pulls out Sidney's business card and dials the number on her cell phone. "Sidney? Hi. Buffy and I are in. We want everyone to know who she really is."

Buffy and Emma drives the squad car along a deserted road and stops near the end of a tunnel. They get out and Sidney appears from the woods.

"Alright. We're listening. So, what do you know about her?" Emma says.

"Fifty thousand dollars." Sidney says.

"I'm sorry?" Buffy asks.

"Fifty grand out of the budget is missing and Regina is responsible." Sidney says.

"That's it? That's what you have on her?" Emma says.

Sidney nods, "The money is just the tip of the iceberg. We figure out what she's doing and it all falls apart – it all crumbles. And we'll finally learn her secrets. You see what she is. I see it. All we need is a crack in the mirror to show everyone. I'm telling you – this is it."

"Alright. What's your plan?" Emma asks.

"Tap her phone. GPS her car. Hack into her email. Dip into your bail bondsperson bag of tricks." Sidney says.

Emma shakes her head, "No. I'm Sheriff now, and Buffy's my deputy. We have to be responsible. We want to do this by the book."

"She's going to know that you two are on to her – sooner than later. Are you prepared for her wrath?" Sidney says.

Buffy smiles, "Oh yeah."

"Good. Because I wasn't." Sidney says.

"If you thought she was so terrifying, how did you allow yourself to end up in her pocket?" Emma says.

"I used to think she was a different person." Sidney says.

Later Buffy, Emma and Sidney are sorting through boxes of files and papers at Mary Margaret's apartment.

"When did that transfer go through? Does three weeks ago sound right?" Buffy asks.

Sidney nods, "Yeah. Why?"

"Because those records are missing." Buffy says.

Mary Margaret suddenly comes through the front door. "Emma, there's something I'd like to talk to you… Hi, Sidney. Hi, Buffy."

"Hey. We're just doing some work. I think we may have found something on Regina." Emma says.

"Interesting work. Well, I approve." Mary Margaret says.

"You want to go by the book? Let's get a warrant." Sidney says.

"And what judge are we going to find that she doesn't own? We're screwed." Buffy says.

"Or, there's my way." Sidney says.

Emma shakes her head, "I want to do this right, Sidney."

"Well, what's right is exposing her. Sometimes, doing a bad thing for a good reason is okay, right?" Sidney says.

"Yeah. I mean, maybe you're doing something wrong, but if it's what's meant to be – if it's what's right – does that really make you a bad person?" Mary Margaret says.

"Exactly." Sidney says.

"You two are doing a whole lot of rationalizing." Emma says.

"But look what she's done to you, to me, to your son. To Ms. Summers and her family. I mean, she's not going to stop, so whatever you do, you've got to do something." Sidney says.

"Okay. Let's start by talking to her." Emma says.

Later Buffy, Emma and Sidney are confronting Regina in her office.

"And just what are you and the disgraced ex-reporter accusing me of?" Regina asks.

"Fifty thousand dollars was transferred out of a city account – by you." Buffy says.

"Well, as Mayor, I'm involved in many transactions. Check the public records if you have questions." Regina says.

Emma nods, "That's the thing – they're missing from three weeks ago. You have any idea what happened to them?"

"Well, if they're missing, I probably checked them out – as my job often requires me to do. And if they were checked out three weeks ago, well, that means they burned. In a fire. In a fire, that, if I recall, got you elected Sheriff. I have nothing to hide." Regina says.

Emma leans over Regina's desk and stares at her briefly. "Okay. There's nothing for us to do. Let's go, Sidney."

"Emma." Sidney says.

Buffy shakes her head, "No, she's right. We have nothing."

Moments later Emma and Sidney are outside the Town Hall.

"That was your plan? I thought you were going to do something?" Sidney says.

"I did. I planted a bug. You win, Sidney. Let's do whatever it takes." Emma says.

Back at the station, Sidney is listening in to the wire tap that Emma set. Buffy and Emma enters and sits next to him.

"Miss Ginger, I really don't have time for more complaints about working conditions. The air temperature is not one of my areas."

"Scintillating. Find anything good yet?" Emma asks.

"Yeah, better than good. She made this call a little over an hour ago." Sidney says.

"I'll meet you tonight at Access Road Twenty Three with the rest of your payment. Yes, it will all be in cash. And I don't need to remind you that no one can know about this. Yes, I know it has to be tonight."

"Who's on the other end?" Buffy asks.

"She bugged the office – not the phone." Sidney said.

"Well, we're just going to have to find out." Emma says.

Sidney nods, "Yeah."

"A payoff in the woods. That's promising." Emma says.

Sidney nods, "A payoff using stolen city funds."

"Let's go find out who she's meeting." Buffy says.


	20. Chapter 20: Fruit of the Poisonous Pt 2

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 20: Fruit of the Poisonous Tree Pt. 2**

Buffy, Emma and Sidney drive along an empty road in Emma's squad car. They see Regina's car up ahead, which turns onto a road leading into the forest. When they get closer, Emma attempts to brake, but the car doesn't stop.

"Emma?" Sidney asks.

"It won't stop!" Emma says as she continues to try the brake with no success. The car crashes into a sign along the side of the road. "You okay?"

"Yeah, you?" Sidney says.

"Yeah." Emma says. "Buffy?"

Buffy is unconscious and has a gash on her head.

"We need to figure out what's going on so we can get an ambulance for Buffy." Emma says as she and Sidney get out. Emma goes around to the front of the car, while Sidney checks under it. "We're going to miss that handoff."

"Emma." Sidney says.

"What?" Emma asks.

"You know that bug you planted? I think Regina found it. Someone's been tampering with the brakes. She's on to us." Sidney says.

Emma takes off into the forest and Sidney chases after her.

"Wait!" Sidney says. "What about Buffy?"

"The bitch tried to have me killed. I'm finding her." Emma says. "Stay with Buffy. Call an ambulance and stay with her till they arrive."

Sidney nods, "Be cautious, okay. And you need to think clearly." He turns and heads back towards the car pulling out a cell phone.

"To hell with caution. I'm going to find out what she's doing and why she's out here." Emma says.

Mr. Gold appears in front of them. "She was meeting me."

"What are you doing out here with her?" Emma asks.

"Just a little business transaction." Mr. Gold says.

"What's in the briefcase?" Emma asks.

"Everything comes at a price. Land is no different." Mr. Gold says.

"That's why you're meeting her out here? Regina bought your land?" Emma asks.

Mr. Gold nods, "The very ground you're standing on."

"What does she want it for?" Emma asks.

"You know, in business, I find it's best not to ask too many questions. Hurts the bottom line. The question is, Emma – why are you standing out here in the middle of the night with Mr. Glass?" Mr. Gold says.

"You don't know what Regina did to me. You don't know what she did to her son. We can't just sit idly by." Sidney says returning. "I can't get a signal to call an ambulance."

"Of course you can. Be careful – emotional entanglements can lead us down very dangerous paths." Mr. Gold says. "You both look fine. Why do you need an ambulance?"

"Buffy was hurt." Emma said. "Someone cut my brake line and we were in an accident. Buffy's been injured."

Later Emma and Sidney pull up outside of the Town Hall. They both get out and walk towards the entrance. Dawn came running up to them.

"What are we doing here?" Sidney asks.

"We know she bought land from Gold – we don't know why. I'm willing to bet it's for personal reasons, but we have to know for sure. We need documents that officially link her to that land." Emma says.

"Emma? What happened to Buffy? They said she might have a concussion." Dawn said.

"So, you want to break into her office? It's locked. And she's got a state of the art security system and alarm." Sidney said.

Emma looked to Dawn, "Someone cut my brake line. I just got it fixed and back to town. We were in an accident. Buffy was hurt." She looks to Sidney. "If we don't show this town who Regina really is, who will?"

"Do you think you can crack her code?" Sidney asks.

Emma nods, "Yep." She smashes the window of the front door with a rock, setting the alarm off. She reaches her hand in and unlocks the door.

"Emma!" Sidney and Dawn say.

"Who does the alarm system alert? The police. I'm the police. Two minutes for her to get a call from the alarm company, one minute to get her coat and keys, three minutes to drive here. We got maybe six minutes." Emma says.

They enter the Mayor's office. Dawn lets out a sigh and goes to the computer and hacks into it. "What am I looking for?"

"A land deal." Emma says.

Dawn nods and a moment later, "I have every file that references the tract of land she bought from Gold."

"Nice." Emma says. "Print them."

Dawn prints off the records, as Emma starts to go through the drawers of Regina's desk. She uncovers a key ring with several 'skeleton' keys attached.

"What the hell do these open?" Emma asks.

"I don't know. What are you doing?" Sidney says.

"Looking for Henry's book." Emma said.

"We didn't come here for Henry. We came here for the files and-" Sidney said.

Dawn shook her head, "No, you didn't come here for Henry. Emma? That's the only reason she's here. Right?"

Emma nods as the lights in the office switch on and Regina enters.

"What are you doing?" Regina asks.

"Some kids broke in. I heard the alarm, so I'm checking it out cause…I'm Sheriff." Emma says.

"Well, that was an awfully quick response time." Regina says.

"You told me to do my job, and I'm doing it." Emma says.

"And you brought them." Regina says.

"Oh, well, Sidney saw it while he was on a walk. So he's a witness. Dawn is acting Deputy while her sister is in the hospital." Emma said.

"Hospital?" Regina said as she looked at Dawn. Dawn for a split second saw the look of recognition in Regina's eyes before it vanished again. "Hm. And what did you see, Sidney?"

"Some kids with a…" Sidney said.

"Rock." Dawn said.

Sidney nods, "A rock."

"Did they take anything?" Regina asks.

Emma shrugs, "I don't know. I'd have to do a thorough sweep to, uh, find out."

" It appears to me it's all just a prank." Regina says.

"You sure you don't want me to take the place apart?" Emma asks.

Regina shakes her head, "Sheriff, your services are neither wanted nor needed."

"Okay. Well, you know where to find me." Emma says.

Later at Sidney's office, Dawn, Sidney and Emma are sorting through the papers they got from Regina's office.

"Blueprints, bank statements…" Sidney says.

"What is she building out there? A mansion?" Emma asks.

"Well, whatever it is, it doesn't matter, because these escrow statements have her name all over it. You were right – personal use. She's done – we got her. What's wrong? Didn't you hear me?" Sidney said.

"We stooped to her level. That's exactly what I promised Henry I wouldn't do." Emma says.

"Emma, we got her!" Sidney says.

Emma sighs, "It's fruits of the poisonous tree – illegally obtained evidence. It'll get thrown out in court in a heartbeat."

"No. We don't need her to go to jail." Sidney says.

"Yes we do. She had to have been the one to cut Emma's brake line and land Buffy in the hospital." Dawn said.

Emma sighs, "Dawn it's alright." She looks to Sidney. "Then, what are we doing here?"

"What you wished for – get everyone to see who she is. What she did to Henry, she does to everyone. She destroys what people love. Let me show you something." Sidney said as he pulls out a box of files and photos and puts it on the desk. Emma looks through them. All of the pictures are of her and Henry at various places around town. There are even a few of Buffy, Dawn and Faith.

"She made me follow you, and Dawn here, her sister and Ms. Lehane. She made me tell her everything. She knew about your secret place weeks ago. She just waited to destroy it until it would hurt you and Henry the most. It's all my fault. If you don't do this – I have to." Sidney said.

Emma sighs, "Okay."

Later Regina sits in front of the city council. The regular citizens of Storybrooke sit in the audience behind them. Regina bangs a gavel to start the meeting.

"This session of the Storybrooke city council will come to order. We will begin by reading the minutes from our last meeting." Regina says.

Sidney stands up from the audience. "Uh, excuse me, um, Madam Mayor. I have something I'd like to bring to the council's attention."

"This is not an open forum, Sidney. And no one on this council's interested in hearing the boozy complaints of a disgraced reporter. Now sit down." Regina said.

Dawn and Emma stands up, as well, Dawn's holding a binder.

"He's not the only one who has something to say." Emma says.

"Miss Swan, Miss Summers, this meeting is to discuss issues facing Storybrooke." Regina said. Her eyes flicker over Dawn as recognition is clearly shown in them for only the briefest of moments.

"Like the Mayor stealing thousands of dollars from the city to build herself a second home?" Dawn asks.

Gasps come from the audience.

Regina bangs the gavel to silence them. "Miss Swan, Miss Summers, you both will sit down immediately or so help me-"

"What? You'll punish us? You'll bully us like everyone else in this town? No. Not today. In Dawn's hand, she is holding documents proving that this woman, your mayor, stole funds from the city to build herself a lavish home in the woods. And this disgraced reporter – you want to know why he was really fired? Because he stood up to her. Because he questioned her. We all know what happens to people who question the Mayor. You claim that you act in the best interest of all of us, but that isn't the truth, is it? The truth is, you are a thug that doesn't care about anyone, or anything, but yourself. That is who you really are. And it is time for the people of Storybrooke to know that."

"You are right, Miss Swan. I am building a house – a playhouse." Regina said as she pulls up the image of a playground on the screen behind her. "The accusations are true – I did take city funds. I wanted to build a playground so my son, Henry, and all the children of Storybrooke, could have a special place to play. Safely. As for the sketch in your hands, it was inspired by a drawing I found in one of my son's books. So, there you have it, Miss Swan. Miss Summers. You've exposed me for who I really am. I hope you're satisfied."

The council meeting is over. Outside the Town Hall, Regina speaks to a group of people, while Emma, Dawn and Sidney head for the car. They run into Mr. Gold.

"Look at her – queen of the castle. You know, what you did in there was commendable, Miss Swan. Miss Summers. But if you really want to bring her down, you're going to need a strong ally." Mr. Gold said.

"Like yourself? Thanks, but I'm still not interested." Emma said.

"Oh, one can wish." Mr. Gold says as he leaves and Regina approaches them.

"Miss Swan. Miss Summers A word? Alone." Regina says.

Sidney leaves, leaving Emma and Dawn alone with Regina.

"I don't know what you two were hoping to accomplish in there. But now, Miss Swan hope you'll go back to your job. Which is upholding the law – not breaking it. You don't think I know you broke into my office?" Regina says.

"Don't pretend like you're so innocent. I know you messed with the brakes on my car. You are the reason Buffy lies in the hospital from a concussion." Emma says.

"Your brakes? Are you delusional? Why would I kill you when you just saw I had nothing to hide? Or harm your deputy?" Regina says.

"Nothing I can prove." Emma says.

"Well, until you have something more substantial than disdain to throw my way, you're going to stay away from me. And, more importantly, from Henry." Regina says.

"But that's-" Emma says.

"Not open for discussion. You've lost the high ground, Sheriff. If I wanted to, there's not a judge in the world that would deny me a restraining order after what you've done. You don't get to see my son unless I say so. And right now? I don't say so." Regina says. "Ms. Summers you have my deepest regrets for what happened to your sister. Tell her she can take a few days to recuperate before she returns to work."

Later at the hospital Dawn walks in to the hospital room to find Faith sitting with Buffy, the two of them talking.

"Hey." Dawn said.

"Hey little D." Faith said.

Buffy smiles, "Dawnie. Faith and I were just trying to convince each other were right about the whole curse and being sisters. While I know I'm right. Faith has made a pretty good argument."

Faith shakes her head, "B, all we have is what you and little D feel. And then there are the supposed memories of Snow White. We have no tangible proof that there is a curse so far."

Buffy sighs, "I know, Faith. I know it's a lot to take on just mine or even Dawn's word."

"So when are they letting you out?" Dawn asks.

"Tomorrow." Buffy says. "Think you can take care of Faith here for one night?"

Faith rolls her eyes.

Dawn smiles, "Sure."

Later that evening Dawn knocks on the door to Regina's mansion as Regina opens the door. "Ms. Summers?" Regina asks.

"Who are you?" Dawn asks.

"What do you mean?" Regina asks. "I'm your neighbor and the Mayor of Storybrooke."

"I know that," Dawn said. "Every time we looked in each other's eyes I see something. Something like recognition. You know who I am don't you?"

Regina sighs and nods, "Yes."

"Who are you?" Dawn asks.

"Your mother," Regina says.


	21. Chapter 21: Skin Deep

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 21: Skin Deep**

"Who are you?" Dawn asks.

"Your mother," Regina says.

"Joyce Summers is my mother." Dawn said.

"In this world maybe. But not back home. Not in the Enchanted Forrest." Regina said. "I gave birth to you. And then you and your sisters were snatched from me. I am your mother, Dawn."

Dawn shakes her head, "How can that be true? Henry said you cast the curse. If you are my mother what would have made you cast the curse." She turns and runs out of Regina's house not looking back, tears in her eyes.

Regina lets out a sigh and shakes her head, "Maybe she wasn't ready to learn the truth."

The next day Mary Margaret and David are both at Granny's diner, but are sitting at separate tables. David is reading a book while Mary Margaret drinks coffee.

"Oh, you got the book." Mary Margaret says.

"Yeah. Yeah, I just started it. It's great. Can't wait to see how it ends." David says.

Ruby comes over to refill Mary Margaret's coffee. "Uh, I can push the tables' together if you guys-"

"Oh, no. We're not together." Mary Margaret says.

David shakes his head, "No. No, that's-"

Ruby leaves as Buffy and Emma enters. They sit down across from Mary Margaret.

"Hey, David." Emma says.

"Hey." David says.

"Mary Margaret." Emma says. "So. How's your day going?"

"Henry's fine." Mary Margaret says.

"That's not what I asked you. …You sure?" Emma says.

Mary Margaret nods, "Really – he's his normal self. Regina won't keep you separated forever. When people are supposed to be together, they find a way."

"Yeah. So, he's his normal self? He's fine? He's happy?" Emma says.

"Yes. No! He misses you – a lot. Trust me – I'm with him, like, six hours a day." Mary Margaret says.

"Mary Margaret," Buffy said. "Did you see Dawn at school today. When the doctor's released me she wasn't home. Faith called the station a little bit ago and said she hadn't seen her all day."

Mary Margaret shakes her head, "No, she wasn't at the school today either. I wonder if she's alright."

"I'm sure she is." Buffy said. "She probably just had some errands to run and forgot to check in." 'At least I hope that's what it is,' she thought.

Ashley enters the diner with her baby. She hands her to Granny and joins Mary Margaret, Buffy and Emma at their table.

"Six hours? You take newborns? Cause I'd love six hours off." Ashley says.

"Ashley! I didn't… I didn't even recognize you." Mary Margaret says.

"Baby on the outside?" Ashley asks.

"How's it going?" Emma asks.

"It's, uh… It's, uh… I mean, baby's great, but we really haven't had time to do the whole getting married thing. So, that's been rough. And Sean's been working double shifts at the cannery." Ashley said.

"Well, he has to work." Mary Margaret says.

Ruby comes over to give Ashley her coffee.

"On Valentine's Day? Yeah. He couldn't get out of it." Ashley says.

"I'm sorry. That sucks." Emma says.

"Yeah it does, suck." Buffy says.

"It doesn't have to. Come out with me. Let's have a girl's night. We can all go. Mary Margaret – Emma and Buffy, too. If you two leave the badges at home." Ashley says.

"I'm not really in the party mood, but you guys can all go and have fun." Emma says.

"I'm kind of not in the mood either." Buffy says.

Emma's phone vibrates.

"What's that?" Mary Margaret asks.

"It's the station – something's up." Emma says.

Later Mr. Gold walks up the walkway to the front door of his house, where he sees that the door is ajar. He pushes it open and enters the house. Inside, he draws and gun and slowly moves farther into the house. The floor creaks behind him. When he turns around, he sees Buffy and Emma, who has her gun drawn and pointed at him.

"Sheriff Swan." Mr. Gold said. "Deputy Summers."

"Your neighbor saw your front door open – they called it in." Emma said.

"It appears I've been robbed." Mr. Gold said.

"Funny how that keeps happening to you." Emma said.

"Yeah, well, I'm a difficult man to love." Mr. Gold said. "Sheriff Swan, you and your Deputy can go now. I know exactly what was taken and who did it. I've got it from here."

Buffy shakes her head, "No, you don't. This was a robbery – a public menace. And if you don't tell us what you know, we'll have to arrest you for obstruction of justice."

Emma nods, "I have a feeling you don't want to be behind bars."

"Indeed not. Alright, his name's Moe French. He sells flowers. He recently defaulted on a loan. A short time ago, we had a little disagreement over collateral." Mr. Gold says.

"Okay. We'll go get him – check him out." Emma says.

"I'm sure you two will – assuming I don't find him… Let's just say, bad things tend to happen to bad people." Mr. Gold says.

"Is that a threat?" Buffy asks.

"Observation. Good luck." Mr. Gold says.

Buffy and Emma turns and leaves.

Later after searching Moe's house, Emma and Buffy are back at the station with Mr. Gold.

Emma pulls back a sheet, revealing several items on her desk to Mr. Gold. "You're welcome. You were right – your man Moe ripped you off. It was all still at his place."

"And the man himself?" Mr. Gold asks.

"Closing in on him." Buffy says.

"So, job well 'half-done', then." Mr. Gold said.

"In less than a day, We got everything back. Is something wrong?" Emma said.

"You've recovered nothing. There's something missing." Mr. Gold said as he goes to leave.

We'll get it when we find him." Emma says.

Mr. Gold shakes his head, "Not if I find him first."

Later Mr. Gold has found Moe and is driving a van. In the back, Moe is tied up and gagged with duct tape. He drives the van to the cabin in the woods. He gets out and opens the back doors of the van. He draws his gun and points it at Moe. "Walk." He leads Moe to the cabin and they go inside. "You see, here's the thing – I don't normally let people get away."

Mr. Gold takes the duct tape off of Moe's mouth and sits him on a chair.

"Let me explain, okay? Let me explain." Moe says.

Mr. Gold grabs another chair and sits in front of Moe. He pushes the end of his cane into Moe's neck, cutting off his air. "Oh. Well, that is…fascinating. Truly fascinating. I'm going to let you breathe in a second, and you're going to say two sentences. The first, is going to tell me where it is. The second, is going to tell me who told you to take it. Do you understand the rules? Good. Let's begin." He pulls the cane back from Moe's neck.

"I needed that van!" Moe says.

"Now, you see, that is not a good first sentence." Mr. Gold says as he hits Moe with his cane.

"Ow! Gold! Listen!" Moe says.

"Tell me where it is!" Mr. Gold says as he hits Moe with his cane again.

"Ow! Stop!" Moe says.

"Tell me where it is!" Mr. Gold says as he hits him again.

"Ow! Stop! It wasn't my fault!" Moe says.

"'My fault'? What are you talking about, 'my fault'? You shut her out. You had her love, and you shut her out!" Mr. Gold says as he hits him again.

"Ow!" Moe says.

"She's gone. She's gone forever – she's not coming back. And it's your fault! Not mine! You are her father! Yours! It's yours!" Mr. Gold says as he starts to hit Moe with his cane repeatedly. "It's your fault! It's your fault!"

As Mr. Gold draws back to strike again, Buffy appears behind him and grabs his arm.

"Stop." Buffy says as Emma steps up beside her.

Emma takes one look at Moe and pulls out her cell phone and calls an ambulance.

30 minutes later Buffy, Emma and Mr. Gold are standing outside the cabin. Moe is on a stretcher and is being loaded into an ambulance by paramedics.

"So, we heard you managed not to break anything he needs. You're lucky, Mr. Gold." Buffy says.

"You got a funny definition of lucky." Mr. Gold says.

"You have a funny definition of justice. What did he really do?" Emma says.

"He stole." Mr. Gold says.

"That reaction was about more than taking a few trinkets. You said something about how he hurt her – what happened to 'her'? Who was that? What did he do? If someone needs help, maybe Emma and I can help." Buffy says.

Mr. Gold shakes his head, "No. I'm sorry, Deputy. I think you heard that wrong."

"I heard it also." Emma says. "So you really don't want to cooperate?"

"Look, we're done here." Mr. Gold says.

Emma shakes her head, "Actually, we're not. You're under arrest."

Buffy takes out a pair of handcuffs and starts to cuff him.

Later Mr. Gold is sitting in a cell at the station. Emma watches him, while eating lunch in her office. Buffy is on the phone.

"Pastrami – you want half? You know, I still owe you that favor. Nice, fatty pastrami. Delicious way to clear the books." Emma says.

"She still hasn't come home, Faith?" Buffy asks.

"Well, I don't need a reminder that you and Miss Summers owe me a favor. And when the day comes that I make my request, it'll be for more than half a sandwich." Mr. Gold says.

Regina and Henry enter.

"Alright I'll go see if Mary Margaret has seen Dawn. Thanks." Buffy says as she hangs up.

"Sheriff Swan? I'm letting you have thirty minutes with Henry. Take him out – buy him ice cream." Regina says. She looks at Buffy as she thinks to herself, 'Buffy hasn't seen, Dawn? Did my telling her that she, Buffy and Faith are my daughters do some damage?" She then spoke out loud, "Maybe you should take Deputy Summers with you. Maybe the three of you can find Miss Summers?" Buffy turns and looks at her. "I couldn't help overhearing."

"You want us to leave you alone with a prisoner?" Emma asks.

"Twenty nine and a half minutes." Regina says.

"Hi, Emma." Henry says. "Hi, Buffy."

"Hey." Emma and Buffy says.

"You know what." Buffy says. "Maybe Regina is right. Maybe Henry knows something about Dawn that could help me locate her."

Emma nods.

"Bring me back a cone?" Mr. Gold says.

"Just this once. Come on – let's go." Emma says as she grabs her coat and she and Buffy leaves with Henry.

"Well, you really wanted that little chat, didn't you?" Mr. Gold says.

"Apparently, this is the only way I could do it." Regina says.

"Please – sit." Mr. Gold says as Regina walks over to a couch near the cell and sits on the edge. "Now, when two people both want something the other has, a deal can always be struck. Do you have what I want?"

Regina nods, "Yes."

"So, you did put him up to it, then." Mr. Gold says.

"I merely suggested, that strong men take what they need." Regina says.

"Oh, yeah. And you told him just exactly what to take, didn't you?" Mr. Gold says.

"We used to know each other so well, Mr. Gold. Has it really come down to this?" Regina says.

"It seems it has, yeah. But you know what I want – what is it you want?" Mr. Gold says.

Regina nods, "I want you, to answer one question. And answer it simply – what's your name?"

"It's Mr. Gold." Mr. Gold says.

Regina shakes her head, "Your real name."

"Every moment I've spent on this earth, that's been my name." Mr. Gold says.

"But what about moments spent elsewhere?" Regina asks.

"What are you asking me?" Mr. Gold asks.

Regina smiles, "I think you know. If you want me to return what's yours – tell me your name."

"Rumpelstiltskin. Now give me what I want." Mr. Gold says.

"Such hostility." Regina says.

Mr. Gold nods, "Oh, yeah."

Regina pulls out the chipped cup from her purse. "Over this? Such a sentimental little keepsake." She dangles it in front of him until he grabs it from her.

"Thank you… Your Majesty. So. Now that we're being honest with each other, let's remember how things used to be, shall we? And don't let these bars fool you, dear. I'm the one with the power around here. I'm going to be out of here in no time, and nothing between us will change." Mr. Gold says.

"We shall see." Regina says. "One other thing. You knew Elizabeth, Faith and Dawn were here didn't you? You sent them here, not Snow White. You would have been the only one to have the power to do so."

Mr. Gold nods, "That I did."

Later that evening at the Summers/Lehane mansion Dawn walked in through the front door.

"Dawn is that you?" Buffy called out from the living room.

Dawn sighed and walked into the living room, "Yes, Buffy."

"Where you been? You had me worried sick." Buffy said.

"I had some stuff to do." Dawn said. "Sorry if I worried you."

Buffy nods, "It's okay. Are you hungry?"

Dawn shook her head, "No just a little tired." She turns and goes upstairs to her room closing the door behind her. She sat on her bed and let out a sigh. "I need to find out if what Regina said is true before I tell Buffy or Faith."


	22. Chapter 22: What Happened to Frederick?

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 22: What Happened to Frederick?**

David and Kathryn are eating dinner at home.

"Chicken's delicious." David says.

Kathryn sighs, "David, there's something we need to discuss."

David nods, "Okay."

"I applied to law school." Kathryn says.

David smiles, "That's amazing! Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I don't know. Maybe cause I didn't think I could actually do it, but I did. I got this today – I got in." Kathryn says as she hands him a piece of paper.

"It… It's in Boston." David says.

Kathryn nods, "I know things have been hard between us, but maybe a fresh start is what we need. Maybe we've been fighting too hard to recapture old memories, when we should've been making new ones instead."

Later Mary Margaret gets out of her car and meets David on the main street. "What did you tell her?"

"That I needed to take a walk. Clear my head. Think about it." David says.

"I'm guessing you didn't tell her that the walk was with me." Mary Margaret says.

David shakes his head, "No. No, of course not."

"Why is that our default? Lying?" Mary Margaret says.

"Because I don't-" David says.

Mary Margaret sighs, "We're not being honest. I know it's hard, but we have to tell her the truth about everything – about us."

"I don't know if I can." David says.

"You have to. If we can't be honest with other people, how can we be honest with each other?" Mary Margaret says.

David sighs, "Is it really the best plan?"

"What's your plan? Moving to Boston?" Mary Margaret says.

David shakes his head, "No."

"The only way no one gets hurt here, is if we don't want to be together. Is that what you want?" Mary Margaret says.

"No." David says.

Mary Margaret sighs, "Well, then we have to stop hiding and do something. It's better she hears it from you than from someone else. You have to make a choice."

"I choose you." David says.

"Then, it's time to tell Kathryn." Mary Margaret says.

Across town August's motorcycle is parked out of Granny's Diner. Buffy arrives at the same time that August is leaving.

"I've been meaning to bump into you. Matter of fact, I was hoping we might grab that drink you and Emma promised." August says.

"Is that you asking me out?" Buffy asks.

"Well, if putting a label on it makes you more comfortable, sure. Let's call it a date." August says.

"I thought you came here to write – find inspiration." Buffy says.

"I'm optimistic about our date." August says.

"See, I have a policy – I won't go out with guys who won't tell me their names." Buffy says. "I find it weeds out the ones who like to keep secrets, like they're already married or they store body parts in their freezer. It was nice talking to you."

Buffy walks past him to enter the diner.

"It's August. August W. Booth." August says.

"Really? With the middle initial?" Buffy asks.

August nods, "W's for Wayne. So, there goes your reason for not meeting me here after work."

Buffy enters the diner alone. Emma and Mary Margaret is already there waiting.

"Who was that?" Mary Margaret asks.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't know yet."

"Yet? So, you're going to find out?" Mary Margaret asks.

Buffy sighs, "It's nothing."

"Nothing with you means something. Because if it were nothing, we wouldn't be talking about it." Mary Margaret says.

"I'm sorry – I thought you called me and Emma here to talk about you?" Buffy says.

Mary Margaret nods, "Yeah, but talking about you is easier right now."

"What is it? What's going on?" Emma asks.

They lower their voices to a whisper.

"Remember when you told me to stay away from David and I agreed?" Mary Margaret asks looking at Emma.

Emma nods, "Yes."

"I didn't." Mary Margaret says.

Buffy nods, "Yeah, we know."

"You do? How?" Mary Margaret says.

Emma smiles, "Because I'm Sheriff, and Buffy's my Deputy, and you are a lovesick school teacher. Covering your tracks is not exactly your strong suit."

Buffy shakes her head. She knows it goes beyond that. She is sure that buried deep in the back of Mary Margaret's mind is her sister Snow White. And Snow is probably whispering to Mary Margaret telling her that David is her Prince Charming."

"Well, I've been discre- Discrete." Mary Margaret says.

Emma nods, "Two teacups in the sink, new perfume, late nights, plunging necklines. It was not hard to connect the dots."

"Plunging?" Mary Margaret asks.

"When I met you, you were a top button kind of girl." Emma says.

"Huh. Why didn't you say anything?" Mary Margaret says.

Emma smiles, "I'm not your mother."

"No. Well, according to Henry, I'm yours." Mary Margaret says.

Buffy sighs, "Well if you believe what is in Henry's book? I'm your sister, Mary Margaret and Emma's aunt."

Emma looks to Buffy and rolls her eyes before looking back at Mary Margaret, "I just figured that you would let me know when it was time. I'm assuming it's time."

Mary Margaret nods, "He's telling Kathryn."

"Everything?" Emma asks.

Mary Margaret nods, "Everything."

Kathryn is on the computer, when she hears David return home. "David? David, come take a look. I found a whole bunch of great apartment options. I have no idea which neighborhood to look at, but… Have you ever been to Boston?"

David shakes his head, "No. No, I've never been."

"Maybe we should ask the Sheriff, Emma. She's from there. She could probably help-" Kathryn says.

"Kathryn. I can't go to Boston with you." David says.

"Can't? Or won't?" Kathryn asks.

David sighs, "I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry. I… I don't know what to say."

"Try the truth. David, is there something going on that I don't know about?" Kathryn says.

"No. No, something happened. I don't know what it is, but there is something that's preventing me from connecting. And it's not fair to you to let that screw up your life. You're right – you need a fresh start. It's just not with me." David says.

In his room at Granny's Bed and Breakfast, August has Henry's book. He has taken it apart and is treating each of the pages. Around the room, he has several of the pages hanging on a clothes line to dry. On the table, part of the book has already been rebound. August takes a dried page off of the line and adds it to the stack. He starts to rebind it with string.

Regina and Henry are sitting on the couch in Regina's office. Faith who Regina gave a job is sitting at her own desk working on paperwork. Henry has a box with a bow on his lap.

"Oh, go on. Open it." Regina says.

"What's the occasion?" Henry asks.

Regina smiles, "The occasion is I love you. Go on." Henry opens the box and pulls out a video game. "Now, I know you miss your book, but with this, you can do the heroics. You can save the princesses, you can be the hero. Henry, you have to believe me. When I tore down the playground, I did it for your safety. Please, don't be upset with me. I really didn't mean to destroy your book."

"It's not just the book." Henry says, looking at Faith.

"Okay, then what is it?" Regina asks.

"It's Emma – I want to see her." Henry says.

Kathryn opens the door of Regina's office. "Regina, have you got a min- I'm sorry."

"Oh, don't worry about it. Henry, why don't you get home and start your homework? I'll be there in a bit and we can have dinner." Regina says.

Henry leaves. Kathryn starts to cry and Regina walks over to her. Faith puts aside her own work and looks at Kathryn.

"Oh, Kathryn, what is it?" Regina asks.

"It's David. He's leaving me." Kathryn says.

"That little home wrecker." Regina says.

Faith frowns, "What?"

"Excuse me?" Kathryn asks.

"She just couldn't stay away, could she?" Regina says.

Kathryn shakes her head, "What are you talking about?"

"Why, Mary Margaret, of course." Regina says.

Kathryn shakes her head, "What's Mary Margaret got to do with this? What's Mary Margaret got to do with any of this? Regina, do you know something?"

Regina sighs, "They've been having an affair."

Faith's eyes go wide. Who is she working for?

"How do you know this? How? Did you see something?" Kathryn asks.

"I would like to know that too, M." Faith said.

"I saw pictures. Sidney was always looking for scandal – it sells papers. He showed me. I buried them, of course." Regina says looking between Kathryn and Faith.

"Show me." Kathryn says.

Regina shakes her head, "Kathryn-"

"Show me!" Kathryn says.

Regina sighs, "Faith in the top drawer of my desk. Please?"

Faith sighs and nods. She goes over to the desk and pulls out a folder and takes it over to Regina handing it to her.

Regina hand Kathryn the folder and she opens it, and takes out several pictures showing David and Mary Margaret together.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Kathryn asks.

"Because I thought you two were working it out. I wanted you to work it out. Believe me, I want you two together." Regina says.

"Why? Why do you care about any of this?" Kathryn asks.

"Because I'm your friend." Regina says.

Faith looks at the pictures and sighs. If Regina was telling the truth she was a good person to be such a good friend to Kathryn. She couldn't understand why her own son thought she was the Evil Queen.

"No, you're not. A friend wouldn't do this. A friend wouldn't lie. Everyone's lying to me." Kathryn says.

"I believe she is a good friend," Faith says. "A good friend would want to protect you from getting hurt just as M was doing."

At the school, Mary Margaret and Dawn are walking through the halls when David calls her on her cell phone. "Hey. Did, uh… Did you do it?" Mary Margaret asks.

"Yeah. It's bad." David says.

"I'm sorry." Mary Margaret says.

"He told her?" Dawn asks as Mary Margaret nods.

"No, it was, um… It was really bad." David says.

"But you told the truth. So, now, we can pick up the pieces. We can start over from a real place." Mary Margaret says.

"Hey, I want to see you. Can I come by when you get done at school?" David asks as Mary Margaret mouths to Dawn that he wants to pick her up.

Dawn smiles and nods. "Don't worry I'll catch a ride home."

"Of course! I'll see you then. And, David – you did the right thing." Mary Margaret says before she hangs up.

Kathryn enters the hallway and heads towards Mary Margaret and Dawn. She bumps into the gym teacher in the process.

"Oh, hey! Watch where you're going." Gym teacher says.

"Kathryn. I'm… I'm sorry." Mary Margaret says.

Kathryn slaps Mary Margaret. "Screw you, you're sorry."

"I understand you're upset. You have every right to be." Mary Margaret says.

"Thank you for that insight." Kathryn says.

"Uhm maybe we should talk somewhere private?" Dawn asks.

"Private?" Kathryn asks. "Why should she get any consideration at all?" She looks to Mary Margaret. "You have shown none for me – either of you. All you did was lie."

"We should have talked to you sooner, but we've been completely honest. We didn't lie." Mary Margaret says.

"You didn't lie? You snuck around. You had him break up my marriage with a pack of lies. With some crap about not being able to connect? He didn't have any trouble connecting with you." Kathryn says.

Mary Margaret frowns, "David didn't tell you about us?"

Kathryn shakes her head, "No, of course not. That would have been the honorable thing to do."

"But, he said he would tell you." Mary Margaret said looking at Dawn who shrugged.

"Well, then he lied to you, too. Good luck making it work. You two deserve each other." Kathryn says.

August pulls up to Granny's Diner on his motorcycle. Buffy comes out to meet him, while Granny watches off to the side. "You going to come in? I thought you wanted that drink."

"I do, but I didn't say here. Hop on." August says.

"You want me to get on the back of that bike?" Buffy asks.

August nods, "That's what 'hop on' means."

"How about if we go somewhere, I drive?" Buffy asks.

"How about you stop having to control everything and take a leap of faith? You owe me a drink. Hop on. I know a good watering hole." August says.

"If you don't, I will." Granny says.

Buffy rolls her eyes as August hands her a helmet and the two ride off.


	23. Chapter 23: What Happened to Fred? Pt2

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 23: What Happened to Frederick? Pt. 2**

Sometime later they reach a well at the edge of the forest. They get off the bike and walk over to it.

"A watering hole? Literally?" Buffy says.

August nods, "Well, say what you want about me – I always tell the truth."

"I just thought a drink was, like, wine or whiskey." Buffy says.

August laughs, "What, do you want me to get you drunk?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No. Alcohol and Buffy are non-mixy things."

"Why?" August asks.

"Let's just say alcohol doesn't agree with me and leave it at that." Buffy says.

"Fair enough." August says before thinking to himself, 'Elizabeth.' He brings over two cups. He hands one to Buffy, then begins to pull up the well's bucket. "They say there's something special about this well. There's even a legend. They say that the water from the well is fed by an underground lake, and that lake has magical properties."

Buffy frowns, "Magic hunh."

August nods, "Magic, so this legend. It says that if you drink the water from the well, something lost will be returned to you."

"You know an awful lot about this town for being a stranger." Buffy says.

"And you know very little for being the Deputy Sheriff." August says.

"How do you know all this? You've been here before?" Buffy says.

"I know all of this for one very simple reason – I read the plaque." August says.

"You actually believe that?" Buffy asks. She knows magic exists having been the slayer since she was fifteen. But she also knew if all the wishing wells actually granted wishes everyone in the world would be rich.

"I'm a writer. I have to have an open mind." August says. "Water is a very powerful thing. Cultures as old as time have worshiped it. It flows throughout all lands, connecting the entire world. If anything had mystical properties – if anything had magic – well, I'd say it'd be water."

Buffy rolls her eyes.

August hands her one of the cups and they toast.

"Honestly you've been here before haven't you?"

August simply smiles.

Buffy takes a drink of the water and for a moment she sees nothing before…

_"Shall we tell Snow White?" Pinocchio asks._

_Geppetto shakes his head, "No. Get in the wardrobe, my boy."_

_"Geppetto, you can't. Things have changed. The savior needs her mother." Jiminy Cricket says._

_Geppetto shakes his head, "No, she needs someone to protect her – to make her believe in her destiny. My boy… He can do that. Besides someone has to find the Queen's children."_

_"You think they're still alive?" Jiminy Cricket asks._

_Geppetto nods, "I do. They are there I am sure of it waiting to be found. And my boy must find them as well as protect her."_

_"I don't understand, father. She said-" Pinocchio says. _

_Geppetto sighs, "I don't care what she said. All that matters, is you are safe."_

_"But you told me to be honest, father. You told me not to lie." Pinocchio says._

_"Sometimes… We have to lie to protect the people we love, eh? You must look out for the child in this new land. You must protect her as well as find Elizabeth, Faith and Dawn." Geppetto says._

_"I don't want to go. I don't want to leave you." Pinocchio says._

_"Pinocchio, you must remember what the Blue Fairy said. In twenty-eight years, you must make sure the savior believes. Promise me you'll do that. Promise me you will find Elizabeth, Faith and Dawn as well. That is the only way we'll… We'll see each other again." Geppetto says._

_Pinocchio nods, "I promise."_

_Geppetto smiles, "Oh, good. Here."_

_"There will be many temptations in this new world, Pinocchio. But, as long as you remain brave, truthful, and unselfish, you will not fail." Jiminy Cricket says._

_Geppetto nods, "Here. Get in. Get in. Get in." He guides Pinocchio into the wardrobe. "You'll find me again. And, on that day, I will look at you with pride. You will be a great man, my son." He shuts the door and the wardrobe begins to rumble. When the noise stops, he checks the wardrobe and Pinocchio is gone._

Buffy blinks as she looks around and finally at August, "Pinnochio?"

August nods and smiles, "Yes, Elizabeth. I have fulfilled part of my promise to my father. I found you. Now with your help we can make sure Emma believe."

Buffy nods, "So everything I've remembered. Everything I've seen has been real?"

August nods, "Yes. I am thankful this world has magic, not like the magic in the Enchanted Forrest though. I cast a spell to give you, Faith and Dawn back your memories as well as to show you what happened after you three disappeared."

"My mother?"

August shakes his head, "If the dreams have not shown you who she is then you are not ready, Elizabeth. The spell has a mind of its own. It shows you what you need to know, when you need it."

In town Mary Margaret walks down the street, she crosses paths with several people who appear to be talking and whispering about her. Due to being distracted, she bumps into Granny.

"Oh, gosh!" Granny says.

"I'm sorry, Granny. I must have not been looking." Mary Margaret says.

"I'm sorry, I didn't…" Granny says before recognizing who she bumped into. "Oh. You."

"Excuse me?" Mary Margaret asks.

"You should be ashamed of yourself." Granny says before she quickly continues on down the street.

David fruitlessly tries to scrub the word 'tramp' off of the side of Mary Margaret's car, which has been written with red spray paint. Mary Margaret sees him when she gets to her car.

"Who did this?" Mary Margaret asks.

David shakes his head, "I don't know. I'm sorry. I don't know how any of this happened."

"You don't know? Really?" Mary Margaret says.

"Mary Margaret, I can't control what other people do." David says.

Mary Margaret frowns, "No, but you can control what you do. And you lied. And, now, everyone is calling me a tramp."

"Who told her?" David asks.

"That is exactly the wrong question. The real question is, why didn't you do what we discussed? Why didn't you tell her?" Mary Margaret says.

"I thought we could spare her feelings." David says.

"Right – you thought. Not we – you. And we discussed this." Mary Margaret says.

"I didn't want anyone to get hurt." David says.

"Now everyone is hurt. We had an understanding. We had an agreement. But you not only lied to her, you lied to me." Mary Margaret says.

David sighs, "Mary Margaret, please. Listen to me. If we want to see if… If this – if what we have – is love… We have to do what you said. You know, we have to pick up the pieces, and we've got to move on."

"David, this isn't love. What we have is something else entirely. What we have is destructive, and it has to stop." Mary Margaret says.

"What are you saying?" David asks.

"That we shouldn't be together." Mary Margaret says.

Emma is brushing the leaves off of her yellow beetle, when she notices a red metal box in the gutter. Realizing it's the same box that Henry's book was hidden in, she opens it. The book is inside, fully intact. Buffy and August watches Emma from around the corner.

Regina is watering the plants in her office when Kathryn enters. Faith is finishing up some paperwork for the day.

"It's beautiful. I had no idea you were so good with plants." Kathryn says.

"Well, better than with people, it would seem. What are you doing here? I thought after what happened yesterday, I'd be the last person you'd want to see." Regina says.

"So did I. And then I thought about it, and I realized I owed you an apology." Kathryn says.

Regina shakes her head, "Kathryn, you don't-"

Kathryn sighs, "I know you'd never do anything to hurt me. Faith was right when she said you were just trying to protect me. "I was just so angry, and confused, and I snapped. I'm sorry. I've just been fighting so hard to hold on to David, I've never stopped to ask myself why."

"He's your husband." Faith says. "You love each other."

Regina nods, "You always have."

Kathryn shakes her head, "No, we haven't." She takes out a picture of Mary Margaret and David. "See the way he looks at her? He's never looked at me like that, not even before his accident."

Regina nods, "Kathryn, relationships take work. You can't give up so easily. Isn't that right, Faith?"

Faith nods, "M, is correct. I actually gave up on a friendship once. It took me four years to gain my friends trust back."

"Have either of you ever been in love?" Kathryn asks.

Faith shakes her head, "No. For me opening my heart to love has been an incentive to get hurt."

Regina looks to Faith as she feels sympathy for what her daughter went through, "Yes. Once."

Kathryn nods, "Then, you're lucky. Because what I'm coming to understand is… Is that I haven't. What they have is real. It's true. My marriage to David, it… It just was like an illusion. I don't know how it happened, but it was never real. I know that now. The way David looks at Mary Margaret – that's what I want for me. And I'm going to go out there, and I'm going to find it."

"What are you talking about?" Regina asks.

"I'm sticking to my plan. I'm moving to Boston. Alone. If I stay here, I'll never be happy." Kathryn says.

"And what about David?" Regina says.

"I wrote him a letter – him and Mary Margaret. I told them they should be together." Kathryn says.

Regina frowns, "Uh, I'm sorry. You did what?"

"I can't see him. Not now. It's just too painful." Kathryn says as she hugs Regina, causing Regina to awkwardly hug her back. "I'm going to miss you, Regina. You've been a good friend to me." She looks to Faith, "I don't know you very well, Faith. But thank you for your advice."

"You're welcome." Faith says.

"You're really going?" Regina asks.

Kathryn nods, "You know, it's funny. I've always had this irrational fear of leaving Storybrooke, like something's just holding me back. Is that crazy?"

Regina shakes her head, "No. Change is always frightening. But you know what, Kathryn? This just may be what you need. Maybe you'll find what you're looking for." Kathryn turns and leaves. "Faith why don't you go home for the night and I will see you tomorrow."

"Okay." Faith says.

An hour later Regina opens the front door to the Nolan's house using her skeleton keys. Inside, she sees Kathryn's letter to David on the counter. She takes it and leaves.

Henry is playing his video game on a bench outside the school.

Emma walks up to him with a bag and sits down next to him. "Wow, I love that game. Space Paranoids, right?"

Henry nods, "Yeah, my mom got it for me."

"I used to play that all the time when I was a kid. Relax – it's all in the wrists." Emma says.

"My mom's picking me up in, like, five minutes." Henry says.

"Alright. I'll be quick, then. I just have something I'd like to give you." Emma says as she takes the book out of her bag and gives it to him.

Henry smiles, "You found it! Where'd you get it?"

"I found it in a gutter. It must have fallen off the dump truck on the way to the junkyard and got tossed around in the rain. And, somehow, made its way back to me." Emma says.

"Wow. That's crazy." Henry says.

Emma nods, "What other explanation could there be?"

Henry shrugs, "I don't know."

"Well, whatever happened, it came back to me." Emma says.

Henry nods, "Maybe, it means our luck is changing. Operation Cobra is back on. It's a sign. Things are going to be better."

Emma smiles, "I hope you're right, kid. I got to go."

Dawn walks over to Henry as Emma leaves and sits down. "I need to talk to you."

"Mom will be here in a couple minutes, Aunt Dawn." Henry said.

"Okay." Dawn said. "Then we'll try and find a time when we can get together. Henry I am going to need answers. Answers to who my parents are. Answers about the curse. Answers about the Evil Queen."

Henry looks at Dawn, he can see it in her eyes, "She told you. My mom told you that she was your mother."

Dawn nods. "You understand why we need to talk. Before I talk to her again I am going to need answers. And you're the only one who can give them."

Henry nods, "Alright. The question is are you ready for them?"

Dawn sighs, "I don't know."


	24. Chapter 24: Dreamy

**Author's Notes: **A special thank you goes out to BizarreBard. She has been helping me by Betaing this story and giving suggestions on where to take things. I'm very appreciative of her help.

* * *

**Chapter 24: Dreamy**

Leroy is eating breakfast at the counter in Granny's Diner as Mr. Clark and Walter enter.

"Uh, excuse me, Leroy. Uh, do you mind scooting over a seat so Walter and I could sit together?" Mr. Clark says.

Leroy frowns, "If I wanted to sit there, I would've sat there. You want this seat? Try dragging your sorry asses out of bed a little earlier."

"You're a real ray of sunshine as-" Mr. Clark says as he sneezes.

"Congrats – just lost my appetite. Seat's all yours." Leroy says as he gets up to leave as Mary Margaret and Buffy walk in.

"Excuse me. Can I have everyone's attention, please?" Mary Margaret asks as the diner goes silent. "I'm sorry to interrupt your morning, but I just wanted to remind everyone that a very special occasion is upon us – Miner's Day. As always, the nuns of Storybrooke are hoping that everyone will get involved, and will help sell their exquisite candles. All we need are a few energetic volunteers. So, who wants to join me?"

Everyone ignores her and goes back to what they were doing. She looks to Buffy who motions towards Leroy who heads to the door.

"Leroy, you want to volunteer?" Mary Margaret says.

"I want to leave, sister. You're blocking the door." Leroy says.

Mary Margaret sighs, "Of course. Uh, you know, if you wanted to help, it could really be a-"

"Oh, yeah. Right. Quite a team we'd make – town harlot, town drunk. The only person in this town that people like less than me, is you. If you're coming to me, you're screwed." Leroy says before looking at Buffy. "I'd be more careful who you hang around with." He brushes past them and leaves.

A moment later, Mary Margaret also leaves. Emma and Buffy follows her outside and walks along with her.

"Hey. Mind if I join you two? So, what the hell is Miner's Day, and why are you beating yourself up over it?" Emma asks.

"It's an annual holiday celebrating an old tradition. The nuns used to make candles and trade them with the miners for coal." Mary Margaret says.

"Coal? In Maine? If they were mining for lobster, I'd understand." Mary Margaret says.

Mary Margaret shrugs, "Look, I don't know. Now, they use it as a fundraiser. It's an amazing party – everyone loves it."

Emma sighs, "It doesn't seem like everyone loves it."

"It's not Miner's Day – it's me. Last week, I had ten volunteers. This week, all but Buffy here dropped out."

"You think this is about what happened with David?" Emma asks.

"Oh, I know it is. A few of them told me as much. I've never…been a home wrecker before." Mary Margaret says.

"It's going to blow over." Buffy says.

"You made a mistake with David – it happens. But, you don't have to do charity to try to win people's hearts back." Emma says.

"I have to do something, and this is the best I can do. Love ruined my life." Mary Margaret says.

Emma's phone rings. "Sheriff Swan. Yeah. Buffy and I'll be right down." She hangs up. "Well, apparently, duty calls. Hang in there. And, if there's anything I can do to help, I will."

Mary Margaret nods, "I know. Thank you. And thank you Buffy."

"My pleasure Mary Margaret." Buffy says before she leaves with Emma.

Moments later Buffy and Emma are investigating Kathryn's crashed car.

Sidney arrives on the scene with a camera. "You mind if I take a look, too?"

"What for?" Buffy asks.

"Well, just because I got fired from The Mirror, doesn't mean I can't do a little freelance reporting. So, what do we got here?" Sidney says.

"Gym teacher found this thing on the side of the road abandoned. Engine running, no one around. Registered to Kathryn Nolan. She's MIA." Emma says.

Sidney nods, "Kathryn Nolan, whose husband very publicly left her? I mean, the story writes itself. If I get a scoop like that, The Daily Mirror would have no choice but to take me back."

"Calm down, tiger. You don't work for Regina anymore." Emma says.

Buffy nods, "Kathryn got accepted to law school in Boston. Maybe, after David left her, she decided to leave town. Car broke down."

"She then likely hitchhiked the rest of the way." Emma says. "That's what I would do if I was running away from my problems." She opens the trunk of the car. There is a suitcase inside.

"And, uh, would you leave your clothes in the car?" Sidney asks.

Emma shakes her head, "Time to pull Kathryn's phone records and find out who she spoke to last."

Sidney nods, "Yeah, you know, if you go through the Sheriff's Department, it'll take you days to get those. I've got a contact over at the phone company, who used to help me out when I was at the newspaper. I can get those in a couple hours."

Buffy eyes Sidney, her mind is trying to piece together something she remembered from when she was six. She would have to ask August or Henry who Sidney was in the Enchanted Forrest.

"Great. Call me or Buffy the minute you get your hands on those phone records." Emma says

David's truck pulls up along the side of the road.

"There he is." Sidney says.

"Time to break the news." Emma says, nodding.

"You really think he doesn't know?" Sidney asks.

"I think he doesn't. Either way though we're about to find out." Buffy says.

In town Dawn and Mary Margaret are filling out forms at a table at the Volunteer Center.

Leroy enters. "Where can I sign up?" Mary Margaret ignores him. "What? I want to volunteer to sell candles."

Dawn sighs, "Mary Margaret."

Mary Margaret eyes Dawn for a moment, "No, you don't. You made that very clear this morning at Granny's."

"Well… Maybe, I saw the light. I mean, maybe somebody showed it to me. What difference does it make, sister? It looks like you can use all the help you can get." Leroy says.

"Okay, I need help manning the candle booth. No swearing, no drinking, and I get to call all the shots." Mary Margaret says.

Back at the crash site… "She's just gone?" David asks, grief stricken.

"You really don't know anything, do you?" Emma asks.

David shakes his head, "I-I don't… I don't understand. What happened?"

"We don't know. We're trying to find out." Buffy says. "What can you tell us? When was the last time you spoke to Kathryn?"

"Yesterday afternoon." David says.

"Okay, look. I know there has been lies and deceit, and I'm really not judging you, but is that the truth?" Emma says.

David nods, "Yes. I haven't spoken to her since we… I ended things. And I came home yesterday, and all her things were gone. I assumed she was going to Boston. That's what she told me. Am I a suspect or something?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No. Emma and I know when people are telling the truth, David, and you are. She hasn't even been gone twenty-four hours. She's not even technically missing. But, if she is, trust me – I will find her."

At Regina's office Faith and Regina are sitting in the office, when a fax comes through.

Faith gets the Fax and looks at it which is two pages of Kathryn's phone records. "M…"

"Can you please stop using that nickname, Faith," Regina says.

"It's a habit of mine. Dates back to childhood. Even my friends get them. Buffy is B and Dawn is D. For me it's a fact of life." Faith says. "Anyways mind if I ask why you needed the phone records for Kathryn?"

Regina nods, "Sidney asked for them. He's helping Sherriff Swan and Deputy Summers investigate Kathryn's disappearance."

Faith nods, "Fair enough." She hands the fax to Regina who grabs her phone and dials a number.

"Hello, Sidney? Those phone records you wanted – I have them. And I think you'll find them quite helpful." Regina says.

Across town at the Miner's Day festival, Dawn, Mary Margaret and Leroy are trying to sell candles at their booth.

"Buy your Miner's Day candles here! Handmade by Storybrooke's very own nuns! Light your way to a good cause! By buying a candle… This isn't working." Mary Margaret says.

"You're right. We should pack it up." Leroy says.

"Now you're quitting?" Dawn asks.

Leroy shakes his head, "If the customers won't come to us, we got to go to them – door to door."

"If they hate us here, what makes you think they'll like us in their homes?" Mary Margaret asks.

"Exactly. They'll pay us just to leave." Leroy says.

"In a weird way it might just work." Dawn says.

Elsewhere at the festival, Sidney is playing ring toss. Buffy and Emma walks up to him.

"What the hell are you doing?" Emma asks.

"What's happening?" Sidney says.

"We just got off the phone with Kathryn's school in Boston. Registration was this morning, and she never showed up." Buffy says.

Sidney frowns, "Something did happen."

Emma nods, "It looks that way."

Dawn, Mary Margaret and Leroy rush past, but Dawn and Mary Margaret stops when they see Emma and Buffy.

"Oh, Emma! Help me out! What's more sympathetic. Um, scarf or no scarf?" Mary Margaret asks.

"Dawn, what's going on?"

"Sc-Scarf." Emma says.

"We're going to try going door to door to sell the candles. No one is buying here." Dawn says.

Mary Margaret nods, "Okay."

"Come on – we're on a schedule." Leroy says.

"Oh, uh, thank you. Come on Dawn we got to go." Mary Margaret says as she, Dawn and Leroy run off.

"Why didn't you two say anything? You're looking for a suspect. Someone with a motive. Pixie cut over there has got one a mile high." Sidney says.

"She had nothing to do with anything. Trust me." Emma says.

"But she's the one-" Leroy says.

"Trust me – we both know her. Just get us those phone records." Buffy says.

Dawn, Mary Margaret and Leroy go to their first house. A man eating a carrot answers the door. A woman then appears beside him.

"Hi. We're selling candles for Miners Day." Mary Margaret says.

"We're not interested." Woman says as she shuts the door.

Dawn, Mary Margaret and Leroy try several more houses, but have the door slammed in their face every time.

Back at the Volunteer Center Astrid is picking up the plums that she dropped, when Leroy enters the Volunteer Center. Dawn and Mary Margaret watches from the other side of the room.

"Sister Astrid?" Leroy says.

"Hi." Astrid says.

"I have to talk to you. See, I have some bad news." Leroy says.

Astrid frowns, "Oh, no. What is it?"

Leroy smiles, "The bad news is, that… That… You nuns are going to be real busy making candles, cause me and Mary Margaret just sold them all. You're not losing the convent. You're not going anywhere."

Astrid hugs Leroy. Afterwards, Dawn and Mary Margaret pulls Leroy aside.

"How could you tell Astrid that we sold all those candles? That is five thousand dollars, Leroy. Five thousand dollars that we don't have." Mary Margaret says.

"Don't worry about it, alright? I got a plan." Leroy says.

"What plan?" Dawn asks, skeptical. "A plan like going door to door and having everyone in town laugh in our faces?"

"Just give me till the end of the day. I'll figure something out." Leroy says.

"And why is this so important to you?" Mary Margaret says.

Leroy sighs, "The nuns… They're going to have to leave."

"Oh, my God. You like her! She is a nun, Leroy. Could you possibly pick anyone any less available?" Mary Margaret says.

"Says the girl who went after a married guy? At the end of the day, you're no better than I am. You got your reasons for being here, I got mine. And when I say I'm going to get that five thousand dollars, I'm going to get that five thousand dollars." Leroy says.

At the station, Buffy and Emma are looking at pictures from the crash site on a bulletin board. Sidney enters with a folder.

"You find something?" Emma asks.

Sidney hands Emma the folder. "Kathryn's phone records. Every call she made the day she crashed her car. Including an eight minute call between her and David within an hour of the accident."

"That's not possible. He said he didn't speak to her that day." Buffy says.

Sidney shrugs, "Then, he's lying."

Emma shakes her head, "No. I know when someone is lying, and David-"

"It's right here on paper, Emma. Phone records don't lie – people do. And our friend David does it better than most. Don't beat yourselves up over this. You two are not the only people David fooled." Sidney says.

At Granny's Diner Dawn and Mary Margaret are having a drink as Leroy comes in and sits next to them.

"I'll have what they're having." Leroy says.

"Well? Did you get it?" Dawn asks, knowing the answer without him saying anything.

"What do you think?" Leroy asks.

"I think you're right. I was dreaming if I thought the town harlot and the town drunk could accomplish anything." Mary Margaret says.

Dawn shakes her head and sighs.

Leroy nods, "Yeah. Just dreaming."

"Leroy, you understand that a relationship between you and Sister Astrid can never happen?" Dawn asks.

Leroy nods, "Yeah, yeah. My whole life people made it their business to tell me what I can't do. She was the first person that said I could do anything. Who believed in me. I didn't want to disappoint her."

"But there are consequences to following through when the world tells you not to. I mean, look at me. I am a pariah in this town." Mary Margaret says.

Leroy nods, "What about your good memories?"

"What do you mean?" Mary Margaret asks.

"Didn't you have moments with him that you love? Do you regret them?" Leroy asks.

Mary Margaret shakes her head, "No, of course not."

"Isn't that what life's about? Holding on to your good memories? All I wanted was a moment with Astrid. One moment to give me hope that any dream's possible. You've had all that, Mary Margaret. So has your friend here and I hardly know anything about her from before she moved here. So, stop feeling sorry for yourself and enjoy it. Because I haven't."

Mary Margaret sighs, "Well, if I had the dream, I'm sorry to say, it wasn't worth it."

"And sitting here drinking won't end this pain." Dawn says.

"What will?" Mary Margaret asks looking to her friend.

"I can only think of one thing." Leroy says, answering for Dawn.

30 minutes later at the Miner's Day festival, Leroy, who has a pick axe, is on the roof of one of the buildings. He sees a transformer near him. "Perfect."

Dawn and Mary Margaret also climb onto the roof.

"Leroy! What are you doing? Please, don't do it!" Mary Margaret says, concerned.

"I'm not going to jump." Leroy says.

"You're not?" Dawn asks, confused.

Leroy smiles, "No, are you crazy? I could hit someone. You know how much damage I could do? I'm solidly built."

"Leroy, what are you doing up here?" Mary Margaret asks.

"I'm going to get my moment." Leroy says.

"Wait! Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! What?" Dawn says.

"You might want to duck." Leroy hits the transformer with the axe. The power goes out at the festival.

"What are you doing?" Mary Margaret asks.

"I'm selling candles, sister." Leroy says.

All of the people at the Miner's Day festival mob Dawn, Mary Margaret and Leroy to buy candles.

Mary Margaret then notices that all of the boxes are empty. "Dawn, Leroy. We sold out."

They hug each other before they see Astrid standing with the other nuns.

"Well, go on – give her the news. Have your moment." Dawn says.

Leroy brings the box of money over to the group of nuns.

"Excuse me." Astrid says.

The other nuns leave, leaving Astrid and Leroy alone.

"Five thousand bucks. Piece of cake." Leroy says.

"You sold them all?" Astrid asks.

Leroy nods, "I had a little help."

"You made it happen." Astrid says.

Leroy nods, "You have no idea."

"I don't know what to say." Astrid says, smiling.

"You're welcome. Listen – that boat of mine? I'm going to fix it up. And, well, maybe you could be my first passenger." Leroy says.

Astrid smiles, "I'd like that."

"Well, then, that's what we'll do, sister." Leroy says.

Astrid nods, "Oh. It's beautiful, isn't it?"

They look around the festival and see everyone holding the lit candles.

Buffy and Emma are looking over Kathryn's phone records at the station. The name 'D. Nolan' is highlighted. Regina enters.

"If this is about the blackout, We've got the guys from the power company down there working on it." Emma says.

Regina shakes her head, "That's not why I'm here. It's been twenty-four hours since my friend, Kathryn, went missing. Have you found anything?"

"We found something. We just don't know what it means." Buffy says.

"Well, what is it?" Regina asks.

"At this point in the investigation, it's best we don't divulge that information." Emma says.

"If you two are covering for someone." Regina says. "If you two are not doing your jobs, Sheriff Swan, Deputy Summers. I'll find someone who will."

Across town Dawn knocks on Regina's door before Henry opens it.

"Mom's not here, Aunt Dawn." Henry says.

"I only need a couple questions answered." Dawn says. "Is Regina mine, Buffy and Faith's mother?" Henry nods and Dawn sighs. "She is the Evil Queen?" Henry nods again. "Why did she curse everyone?"

"Two events set her on a path of revenge against Snow White." Henry says. "The first is your abduction. At the time all evidence pointed at Snow White. The second was someone Mom loved was killed by your grandmother, Mom's mother. She did it because of something Regina had told Snow White in confidence and Snow White repeated it to Cora. Those two events set Mom on her path of revenge."

At the fair Mary Margaret makes a 'sold out' sign and puts it at the front of the candle booth. She walks to her car, which still has the word 'tramp' spray painted on it. She stares at it for a moment, and then decides to go back to the Miner's Day festival. Granny stops her and relights Mary Margaret's candle. David watches Mary Margaret walk past as Buffy and Emma arrives and approaches him.

"Emma." David says. "Buffy."

"David, we need to talk." Emma says.

David nods, "Did you get a hold of Kathryn?"

Buffy shakes her head, "No, I'm afraid not."

"Then, what is it?" David asks.

We need you to come to the sheriff's station with us and tell us everything." Emma says.

"I'm sorry. I thought I already did." David says.

Buffy nods, "So did we."

Buffy and Emma leads David to the back seat of the squad car. Mary Margaret looks on worriedly.


End file.
